Reduce the Risk. Detect Early. Improve Outcomes.
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Maine Lung Cancer Coalition provides an innovative, statewide approach to lung cancer education, lung cancer prevention, and screening for Maine residents — especially the most vulnerable and at-risk.
The Maine Lung Cancer Coalition is funded by:
Lung cancer is the leading cancer killer of both men and women in the United States, leading to more than 150,000 deaths per year.
Maine's lung cancer rates are 30% higher than the national average.
Maine men have a 30% higher lung cancer rate than Maine women.
75% of lung cancer cases in Maine are detected late and are often not treatable.
Lung cancer screening leads to better all-cause mortality rate.
Smoking:
Cigarette smoking is the most important and number one risk factor for lung cancer. 80% to 90% of lung cancer deaths in the US are caused by smoking. Risk increases with both quantity and duration of smoking. People who smoke cigarettes are 15 to 30 times more likely to get lung cancer or die from lung cancer than people who do not smoke. Even smoking a few cigarettes a day or smoking occasionally increases the risk of lung cancer.* Cigar and pipe smoking also increase risk. 
Secondhand Smoke:
Two out of five adults who don't smoke die from lung cancer due to secondhand smoke every year.* Secondhand smoke or involuntary smoking is when an individual breathes in toxic chemicals and nicotine the same way smokers do. Like smoking, the more secondhand smoke you breathe, the more at risk you become to lung cancer. There is no safe level of secondhand smoke exposure. 
Radon Gas:
Radon is the second-leading cause of lung cancer in Maine. Radon is a colorless, odorless gas. High levels of radon gas naturally occur in Maine soil and gets into the home through the ground and foundation. Radon can also be found in well water. If radon builds up within a home, it can increase health risks. Any house can have radon, it doesn't matter if it's a new house or older house. The only way to know if your house has higher levels of radon is to test.
Low-dose computed tomography (LDCT) is a promising new screening tool for the early detection of lung cancer in high-risk individuals. Annual LDCT screening is recommended by the US Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) and is covered by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) and many health insurance companies for qualified patients.
Before the initial screening can occur, Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) requires that eligible patients participate in a lung cancer screening counseling and shared decision making visit by a physician or qualified non-physician practitioner. In shared decision making, patients and providers collaborate to make health decisions based on the best available evidence and the patient's values and preferences.Learn More
Engage and educate the general public, patients, health care providers, health care payers, and policymakers about evidence-based lung cancer prevention and screening practices.
Develop, implement, and evaluate innovative programs to increase access to evidence-based lung cancer prevention, screening, and treatment services to the entire Maine population, including residents of rural underserved areas.
A four-year grant from the Bristol-Myers Squibb Foundation, Maine Cancer Foundation, and the Maine Economic Improvement Fund created this multidisciplinary, cross organizational effort that will span the state of Maine.
Additional funds are needed to achieve the full potential of this project. We need your support! Join us by making a tax-deductible gift today.
donate nowJackWennberg, MD, MPH, Founder & Director Emeritus, The Dartmouth Institute for Health Policy & Clinical Practice
