Lung Cancer Rates Among Women On the Rise

Lung Cancer Rates Among Women On the Rise

New figures released by the charity - Cancer Research U.K., indicate the contrasting trends in smoking between men and women have caused a sharp increase in lung cancer cases among women. The actual figures show a 73% rise for women, and a 47% decrease among men since 1975 (men who smoke have been on the decline since the 1950s [women who smoke did not start to drop until the 1970s]).

Other startling figures released were as follows:


U.K. lung cancer rates have fallen (overall) by 20% since 1975.
2011 annual figures were around 43,500 cases (23,800 men, and 19,700 women).
35,200 moralities (19,600 men, and 15,600 women [same 2011 period]).
Women - 41 in every 100,000 suffer from lung cancer (up from 23 in every 100,000 in 1975).
Lung cancer is the second most common cancer in the U.K. (breast cancer being in the number-1 spot).
Lung cancer in now the number-1 cancer killer in the U.K., which kills 50% more sufferers than the second most diagnosed cancer - bowel cancer.
87% of all cases diagnosed can be attributed to smoking.
Less than 90% of sufferers will be alive 5-years after diagnosis.
The north of the U.K. tends to suffer from the highest rate of diagnosed cases, whereas the lowest rates are to be found in the east, south-east, and the south-west of the country.
In Scotland, diagnosed cases among women have almost doubled during the past 40 years.



Conclusion: Lung cancer still remains to be one of the biggest challenges of the 21st Century - with the lack of awareness (or understanding) to the damages that smoking can do to an individual, and the economic/social problems that many individuals in the U.K. suffer - still considered to be the two main reasons behind this new increase in cancer related disease.

These newly released figures can only be a stark reminder as to the problems that still exist, and the up-hill battle that still remains in combating the disease. Smoking still remains to be the No.1 self-inflicted DEATH SENTENCE in the U.K., and the world as a whole.