(StatePoint) Rare lung diseases affect people nationwide, yet many patients go undiagnosed or misdiagnosed for years. One rare lung disease that illustrates the challenges of timely diagnosis is autoimmune pulmonary alveolar proteinosis (aPAP). Like many rare lung diseases, aPAP has no cure, but treatment can help manage symptoms and improve quality of life.

To encourage early diagnosis of rare lung diseases like aPAP, the American Lung Association, with support from Savara, Inc., is sharing these five key points:

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