Portugal Lung Cancer Awareness Emphasizes Screening and Mental Health

On 1 August, World Lung Cancer Day, the Portuguese Society of Pneumology highlighted that about 14 Portuguese receive a lung‑cancer diagnosis each day, roughly 5,000 new cases annually. It called for a low‑dose CT screening programme for high‑risk adults (aged 50‑75, smokers or ex‑smokers with at least 20 pack‑years). Screening can identify 70‑73 % of cancers early, enabling curative treatment in up to 87.5 % of cases and raising ten‑year survival rates.

The society also stressed the disease’s strong emotional impact: a recent report showed 9 in 10 patients report fear, sadness, anxiety or depression, and many feel stigma associated with smoking. The national “Lung Cancer Does Not Take Vacations” campaign, now in its sixth edition, seeks to reduce shame and encourage early medical help. In 2024 Portugal recorded 6,148 new lung‑cancer cases and 5,589 deaths, making it the fourth most diagnosed cancer but the leading cause of cancer mortality. Globally, about 2.6 million new cases and 1.8 million deaths occur each year.