YORK, Pa. — Lung cancer is the most deadly cancer among men and women all across the country, and it's a serious issue for Pennsylvanians as well.
A new report, however, shows the Commonwealth has made some big improvements in the efforts to change that. FOX43 looked at the sixth annual State of Lung Cancer report for the details.
"Pennsylvania came in at above average on a number of different indicators," said Amy Vancleave from the American Lung Association.
She says the annual report showed improvements in lung cancer screening, overall survival rates and treatment. In fact, Pennsylvania ranked eighth in the nation for lung cancer screening, 10th for survival and seventh for treatment.
This means Pennsylvania is among the best tiers in the nation for these indicators. That being said, there is still plenty of work to be done.
"Pennsylvania ranked quite poorly for overall radon test results, much lower than the recommended EPA action levels," Vancleave said.
Radon is an odorless and colorless gas and the second leading cause of lung cancer. It's known to be present in high levels throughout many homes, schools and businesses across the state. The only way to tell if your home has high levels is by testing it, which advocates say is vital to protecting your families.
"With my mutation, there is not proof that it was linked to radon, but it could have been--there's just not enough research and not enough data," said Summer Farmen of Dauphin County.
She was diagnosed with stage four lung cancer in 2020 at just 44 years old.
"I definitely am not what people expect to see with lung cancer patients; I for sure wouldn't have anticipated that I could even be a lung cancer patient--I thought it was asthma, I thought maybe I had pneumonia," Farmen said.
That's why the mother of three says she will continue to work at educating the public about the risk.
"I'm a lung cancer advocate because I think it is so important for people to realize that anyone is at risk," Farmen said. "If you have lungs, you're at risk for lung cancer, because sadly, this is the face of lung cancer. This is what a stage four lung cancer patient looks like."
The Lung Cancer Association says countless workers in the state are exposed to cancer-causing chemicals in their workplace due to exemptions in legislation that allow people to smoke indoors at trucks stops, private clubs and casinos and more. Right now, though, the Pennsylvania legislature is considering House Bill 1657, which would remove existing loopholes that allow that to happen.
For a look at the entire report, click here.