December 2 - Wisconsin Health News
Health experts say Wisconsin can do more after a recent report found the state was average-to-above average in the treatment and diagnosis of lung cancer.
The report, released by the American Lung Association, found Wisconsin as the fifth-best state in the nation for the percentage of high-risk patients who receive screenings for lung cancer. Just over 8 percent of those at high risk in Wisconsin were screened, compared to 4.2 percent nationally.
Wisconsin also ranked above average with just 12.4 percent of cases not being treated, 11th lowest out of 46 states with available data. The national rate is 15.4 percent.
The state ranked average in the report’s four other metrics, which were the number of new cases, early diagnosis rate, those who undergo surgery as part of the first course of treatment and the number of residents living more than five years after being diagnosed with lung cancer.
While Wisconsin scored average or above in all metrics, Dona Wininksy, director of advocacy, grassroots and patient engagement at the American Lung Association of Wisconsin, said the state should be able to do better with all its available resources.
“While we celebrate that more Americans than ever are surviving lung cancer, the disease remains the leading cause of cancer deaths, and much more can and must be done in Wisconsin to prevent the disease and support families facing the disease,” she said.
