Who Is Affected by Lung Cancer

Lung cancer usually occurs in older people. The average age of people who are diagnosed with lung cancer is about 71.¹

Studies do not show clearly whether men who smoke are at a higher risk for lung cancer than women who smoke. Among non-smokers, women are more likely to get lung cancer than men. But women also have better responses to treatment for lung cancer.²

For all people, including smokers and nonsmokers:¹

• Black men are more likely to develop lung cancer than men of any other racial group.
• White women and black women are about equally likely to develop lung cancer.

If you live with a smoker, you have a higher risk for lung cancer compared with a person who lives in a nonsmoking environment.

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