The need and potential for more effective management of this malignant disease is demonstrated by the fact that in the USA, the lung cancer mortality rate between 1991 and 2017 reduced by nearly 30%. The American Cancer Society (ACS) attributes this significant progress in care to the availability of screening programs and modern therapies. At the same time, in Europe, one in five cancer deaths is caused by lung cancer. It is believed that these alarming numbers and poorer outcomes are influenced by several factors: late diagnosis, limited access to treatment, and even the stigmatization of patients.
To provide a realistic picture of the quality of care for lung cancer patients, The Economist conducted a study involving 27 European countries. The analysis was carried out in two phases. The first phase included Austria, Belgium, Finland, France, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Romania, Spain, Sweden, and the United Kingdom, while the second phase included Bulgaria, Croatia, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Portugal, Russia, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, and Switzerland.
