VA Lung Cancer Survival Rises to 51%

A Veterans Affairs study found three-year lung cancer survival among veterans nearly doubled between 2007 and 2019.

Updated on Nov. 6, 2026 in Cancer

Pale brick and glass hospital facade under soft overcast daylight, with a low-dose CT scanner visible through a clinic doorway. — Three-year survival for lung cancer among Veterans Affairs patients nearly doubled between 2007 and 2019, rising from 24% to 51%, a VA study of about 1.5 million veterans found. AI Illustration. Upload story photo >

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Have you talked with a doctor about getting a low-dose lung CT scan?

A Veterans Affairs study of nearly 1.5 million veterans treated within the VA system found three-year lung cancer survival rose from 24% in 2007 to 51% in 2019. Health experts encouraged eligible veterans to discuss low-dose CT scans with their health care providers.

Why it matters

Military veterans face higher rates of lung cancer linked to smoking, burn pits, Agent Orange, and asbestos exposure. Early detection through low-dose CT screening in high-risk patients is associated with improved outcomes and cures.

The VA analysis tracked three-year lung cancer survival across nearly 1.5 million veterans, rising from 24% in 2007 to 51% in 2019. The source does not isolate how much of the improvement came from low-dose CT screening versus newer targeted treatments.

The players

Dr. Martin Edelman

Dr. Martin Edelman is an oncologist at Fox Chase Cancer Center, a Philadelphia institution known for cancer research and treatment.

Gerard Spencer

Gerard Spencer is an Air Force veteran who was diagnosed with lung cancer despite exercising six to seven days a week since age 19 and completing a sprint triathlon.

The details

Low-dose CT scans are used to detect lung cancer in high-risk patients before symptoms appear, and can catch the disease when it is most treatable. Comprehensive biomarker testing also guides targeted treatment plans for lung cancer patients.

2007: Three-year lung cancer survival among VA veterans stood at 24%.
2019: Three-year survival among VA veterans reached 51%.
November 5, 2026: Report on the VA lung cancer survival study was published from Philadelphia, Pa.

Big Picture

The 24% to 51% rise in VA three-year lung cancer survival between 2007 and 2019 extends a documented improvement trend within the Veterans Affairs system. The story's veteran-specific exposures to burn pits, Agent Orange, and asbestos place this progress against a population with elevated baseline risk.

Eligible veterans can ask their health care providers whether low-dose CT scans are appropriate given their smoking, exposure, or other risk history. Early screening in high-risk asymptomatic patients is associated with improved outcomes.

The takeaway

Veterans with higher lung cancer risk from smoking or military exposures should discuss low-dose CT screening with their providers. Early detection gives the best chance at effective treatment.