What's the Average Age for Being Diagnosed With Lung Cancer?

The average age of diagnosis of lung cancer in the United States is 70 years old. Most cases of lung cancer are diagnosed when people are older and when the cancer is at a more advanced stage.

According to data from the National Institutes of Health (NIH), about 35% of new lung cancer cases are diagnosed in people between the ages of 65 and 74. The median (middle point) age at diagnosis is 71.

This article will go over what you should know about the average age for a lung cancer diagnosis, including how factors like a person's biological sex and the type and stage of their cancer affect a lung cancer diagnosis.

Lung Cancer Diagnosis: Types and Age

There are different types of lung cancer, but overall, the average age for a diagnosis is the same—around 70 years old.

The two main types are small-cell lung cancer (SCLC) and non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Most cases of lung cancer in the U.S. are NSCLC—about 82% of all diagnoses. About 14% of people diagnosed with lung cancer have SCLC.

Lung Cancer Diagnosis: Age in Women vs. Men

Research shows the median age for a lung cancer diagnosis is slightly different for men and women.

Women tend to develop lung cancer younger than men—about two years earlier. Studies have shown that women are disproportionately affected by lung cancer before age 50.

Between the ages of 30 and 54, women are more likely than men to be diagnosed with lung cancer, partly because they tend to start having symptoms sooner.

Lung Cancer Diagnoses: All Age Groups

The risk of lung cancer increases with age and peaks at around age 75. While it gradually decreases from there, that's partly because an older person will often die of causes other than lung cancer.

Lung Cancer Diagnosis Under Age 40

According to the American Cancer Society, most people diagnosed with lung cancer are at least 65 years old. It's much less common for people younger than age 45 to be diagnosed with lung cancer.

While older adults make up most of the newly diagnosed lung cancer cases, research shows the rate of lung cancer in young adults is increasing. Moreover, the increase is not always related to known risk factors like smoking.

Genetics is also believed to contribute to the risk of lung cancer. As many as 59% of young adults who get lung cancer are found to have a genetic mutation associated with the disease (like EGFR mutations, ROS1 rearrangements, and ALK rearrangements).

Younger people with lung cancer may live longer than older adults—even if they are diagnosed with advanced cancer. Research suggests that the five-year survival rate for young adults with all stages of lung cancer is 54%. That's compared to the five-year survival rate of all people with lung cancer, which is 16%.

Lung Cancer Diagnosis Over Age 70

It's often assumed that people who are diagnosed with lung cancer when they're older than age 70 cannot go through aggressive treatments and will do worse than younger people.

While it's true that most lung cancer-related deaths occur later in life, age alone cannot predict how well a person will respond to treatment for lung cancer.

When choosing the best lung cancer therapy for a patient, providers also take other factors into account including:

• The stage and grade of cancer when a person is diagnosed
• How well a person is able to do their normal, everyday activities and tasks while they are having treatment⁠ (performance status)

People over age 70 with lung cancer do not necessarily need to be treated differently than a younger person with the same type and stage of lung cancer. That said, some older people with cancer may have other health factors, like frailty, that do need to be considered.

Summary

Lung cancer is mostly diagnosed in older people—usually at around the age of 70. The older age at diagnosis means the cancer is often at a more advanced stage. The average age for a lung cancer diagnosis is slightly different between men and women, as women tend to have symptoms sooner which leads to them getting diagnosed a little earlier.

That said, older lung cancer patients don't necessarily need to be treated differently than younger patients based on their age alone—other factors, like their health and performance status, also affect their treatment outcomes.

A Word From Verywell

If you have been diagnosed with lung cancer, you might find yourself afraid and confused by lung cancer survival rates. Remember that these numbers are based on the average of all groups and do not take underlying health conditions or disease complications into account.

Whether you're 70 or 40 when you find out you have lung cancer, your provider will consider your needs as an individual patient when discussing treatment options with you. While your age is one factor, it's not the only thing that will influence how you will do with lung cancer treatment.

You don't necessarily need to be treated differently if you're diagnosed with lung cancer at an older age rather than at a younger age. If you are concerned about the care you're receiving after a lung cancer diagnosis, you may want to get a second opinion or ask for help from a patient advocate.

Being diagnosed with lung cancer at any age can be overwhelming. Make sure you're taking care of yourself, which means getting the nutrition, exercise, and support you need as you navigate through your cancer journey.