Women smokers more susceptible to lung cancer than men, expert says

By Carlito C. Dar

Wednesday 22nd of August 2012

BAGUIO CITY, Aug 22 (PIA) -- Lung cancer remains the most common cause of cancer-related deaths nationwide and worldwide, and women smokers are more susceptible than men.

Dr. Israel Yasay of the Baguio General Hospital and Medical Center (BGHMC) said this in a recent Department of Health (DOH-CAR)-led kapihan forum in line with advocacy for health events this August, which includes Lung Cancer Awareness Month.

Yasay said smoking per se will not cause lung cancer as the disease is multi-factorial, but exposure to smoking as well as on hazardous chemicals, are among the top risk factors of acquiring such disease and other fatal respiratory-related diseases.

A person who has a family member, who died of lung cancer also pose higher risk of acquiring or developing such kind of cancer, Yasay said.

He said, for the treatment and medication of lung cancer, early detection is still the most important factor. The doctor emphasized that chronic cough, cough with blood, chest pain and weight loss are among the symptoms of the disease.

In relation to smoking and lung cancer, Yasay said there is a scientific study that women who are smoking are most likely to develop cancer compared to men.

With the increasing prevalence of smoking among women, Yasay said there is a projection that by 2030, incident of lung cancer among men and women will be equal, compared to the present two-to-one ratio (two male in every one female).

Meantime, a recent study in Lancet, the world’s leading general medical journal, showed that two-fifths of men in developing countries still smoke or use tobacco, and women are increasingly starting to smoke at younger ages and despite years of anti-smoking measures across the world, most developing countries have low quit rates.

According to the World Health Organization, tobacco already kills around six million people a year worldwide, including more than 600,000 non-smokers who die from exposure to second-hand smoke. By 2030, if current trends continue, it predicts tobacco could kill 8 million people a year.

Yasay added that in quitting smoking, it is still the desire and determination of the person to quit smoking that matters most.

He also assured that BGHMC has specialists and equipment to handle lung cancer cases. (JDP/CCD-PIA CAR)