Lung cancer patients are likely to suffer significant stigma due to the disease's link to smoking, according to a survey published by the GLCC. Dr Matthew Peters, chair of the Global Lung Cancer Coalition, said:

"This research carried out by Ipsos Mori on behalf of GLCC supports what we have suspected for a long time; that lung cancer carries a noteworthy stigma.

Although the majority of those questioned rejected the notion that they felt less sympathetic towards lung cancer sufferers because of its association with smoking, there was still a significant proportion who admitted they did stigmatise the disease.

You simply do not see this type of blame culture with any other cancer.

Lung cancer is the biggest cancer killer in the world and we need to increase public sympathy for the disease, not just on behalf of the patients but also in order to secure vital funding for research into this truly awful disease. Whether they have smoked or not, no one deserves lung cancer."