World Lung Cancer Day: Pharmacists Are Essential Across Prevention, Screening, and Treatment

World Lung Cancer Day, observed annually on August 1, provides an opportunity to recognize progress in lung cancer care while emphasizing the persistent need for earlier detection and equitable access to treatment. As accessible health care professionals and key members of oncology care teams, pharmacists can influence outcomes across the continuum—from tobacco cessation and screening referrals to precision therapy management and survivorship.

Lung Cancer Remains a Leading Cause of Cancer Mortality

The American Cancer Society estimates that 229,410 new cases of lung cancer will be diagnosed in the United States in 2026 and of this population, 124,990 individuals will die from the disease. Lung cancer is expected to cause more deaths than colorectal and pancreatic cancers combined. Although the overall 5-year relative survival rate is approximately 28%, it increases to 65% among those diagnosed with localized disease, emphasizing the importance of early detection.¹

Mortality has declined as a result of reduced smoking, earlier detection, and advances in treatment. However, disparities in screening, biomarker testing, treatment access, and clinical trial participation continue to limit progress.

Pharmacists Can Help Identify Screening Candidates

The US Preventive Services Task Force recommends annual low-dose computed tomography (LDCT) for adults aged 50 to 80 years who have a 20 pack-year smoking history and currently smoke or quit within the previous 15 years.² The American Cancer Society similarly recommends annual LDCT for generally healthy adults aged 50 to 80 years with at least a 20 pack-year history but no longer limits eligibility according to years since quitting.¹

Despite these recommendations, most eligible individuals do not undergo lung cancer screening.³ Community pharmacists can review age and history of tobacco use during medication counseling, immunization visits, and medication therapy management encounters. Patients who may qualify can then be referred to a primary care clinician or screening program for shared decision-making. Pharmacists should be aware of differences among screening recommendations, insurance coverage requirements, and institutional protocols.

Tobacco Cessation Remains a Priority

Cigarette smoking causes an estimated 86% of lung cancers in the US, although radon, secondhand smoke, occupational exposures, air pollution, and other factors also contribute to risk.¹ Importantly, patients should not be stigmatized based on smoking history because anyone with lungs can develop lung cancer.

Pharmacists can routinely assess tobacco and nicotine use, provide brief behavioral counseling, recommend or prescribe cessation pharmacotherapy when permitted, and connect patients with quit lines or other support services. Available pharmacologic options include nicotine replacement therapy, varenicline, and bupropion. Community pharmacy–based services can be particularly valuable in rural and medically underserved areas, where pharmacists may be among the most accessible health care professionals.⁴

Precision Treatment Expands the Pharmacist’s Role

The treatment landscape has shifted from a predominantly chemotherapy-based approach toward increasingly individualized combinations of surgery, radiation, chemotherapy, immunotherapy, and targeted therapy. Biomarker testing is now routinely used to guide therapy selection in non–small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), with actionable findings potentially identifying candidates for targeted agents.⁵

Recent approvals illustrate the speed of this evolution. On July 22, 2026, the FDA approved zidesamtinib (Jideytro; GSK) for adults with locally advanced or metastatic ROS1-positive NSCLC previously treated with at least 1 ROS1 tyrosine kinase inhibitor. In the ARROS-1 trial, the overall response rate was approximately 44%, and 69% of responders maintained a response for at least 12 months.⁶

For pharmacists, expanding treatment options creates additional responsibilities. Oncology pharmacists can verify that biomarker results are available before treatment begins, assess drug interactions, support access to specialty medications, counsel patients about oral therapy adherence, and monitor for adverse events. With zidesamtinib, for example, relevant risks include central nervous system reactions, QTc prolongation, interstitial lung disease or pneumonitis, fractures, myalgia with creatine phosphokinase elevation, and pancreatic toxicity.⁶

Pharmacists also help patients receiving immune checkpoint inhibitors recognize potentially serious immune-mediated toxicities, including pneumonitis, colitis, hepatitis, endocrinopathies, and dermatologic reactions. Early recognition and escalation are critical because symptoms may initially appear nonspecific.

Turning Awareness Into Action

World Lung Cancer Day should serve as more than an awareness campaign. Every pharmacy encounter presents a potential opportunity to address tobacco dependence, identify a patient who may qualify for screening, correct a medication-related problem, or reinforce the importance of reporting treatment toxicities. By integrating prevention, screening education, precision medicine, and supportive care into routine practice, pharmacists can help translate advances in lung cancer care into longer and healthier lives.

REFERENCES

1. American Cancer Society. Cancer Facts & Figures 2026. Published 2026. Accessed July 31, 2026. https://www.cancer.org/content/dam/cancer-org/research/cancer-facts-and-statistics/annual-cancer-facts-and-figures/2026/2026-cancer-facts-and-figures.pdf

2. US Preventive Services Task Force. Lung cancer: screening. March 9, 2021. Accessed July 31, 2026. https://www.uspreventiveservicestaskforce.org/uspstf/recommendation/lung-cancer-screening

3. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Lung cancer information for clinicians. Updated May 12, 2026. Accessed July 31, 2026. https://www.cdc.gov/lung-cancer/hcp/overview/index.html

4. Wanner HM, Corr K. “If we can get them to stop, they can have such a better life”: implementing tobacco and nicotine dependence treatment services in community pharmacies in North Dakota. Prev Chronic Dis. 2025;22:250088. doi:10.5888/pcd22.250088

5. National Cancer Institute. Biomarker testing for cancer treatment. Updated December 14, 2021. Accessed July 31, 2026. https://www.cancer.gov/about-cancer/treatment/types/biomarker-testing-cancer-treatment

6. FDA. FDA approves zidesamtinib for ROS1-positive non-small cell lung cancer. July 22, 2026. Accessed July 31, 2026. https://www.fda.gov/drugs/resources-information-approved-drugs/fda-approves-zidesamtinib-ros1-positive-non-small-cell-lung-cancer