It’s the biggest cancer killer in America for both men and women. And more than half the new cases of lung cancer this year are in people who do not smoke. Here is a look at three different, but very important local efforts to combat the disease.

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Annie Barry is revving up for another fundraiser to fight lung cancer. She’s already raised more than $150,000. Her father, Dennis Barry, died last year, even though he’d quit smoking years before. In his memory, she started the Fighting Barry Foundation.

Annie’s Fundraising Efforts
• Dec. 6
• Green Turtle
• 18101 Town Center Dr.
• Olney, MD

In Rockville, a lab is fighting lung cancer too. Genesys Biolabs has invented a simple blood test called “Paula’s Test” to detect lung cancer in smokers over age 50 who have no symptoms before it spreads.

At Walter Reed National Medical Military Center, veterans – a group that has double the risk of lung cancer – can now be screened and get CT scans.

“We have a very large group of high-risk group of individuals that are smokers,” said Dr. Corey Carter of Walter Reed National Medical Military Center. “And also have many exposures, such as Agent Orange.”

Veterans Lung Screening
• Walter Reed National Medical Military Center
• Bethesda, MD
• Email: WRNMMC.cancercenterhealth.mil
• Phone: 301-295-0196
• Blood Test: PAULA's Test
• www.BloodTestforLungCancer.com

Lung cancer accounts for 30% of all cancer deaths. The survival rate is less than 16%, about the same is it was 40 years ago.