Women More deaths from lung cancer than from breast cancer

Women who smoke are at higher risk for lung cancer than men
Lung cancer is the cancer that causes deaths among women in industrialized countries. However, many women seem to underestimate the risk of lung cancer and often claim to be most afraid of developing breast cancer. The chances of a cure for tumors in the breast are much better than for lung cancer, thanks to major medical advances. Despite urgent warnings, many women continue to take their cigarettes.

Number of smokers is increasing
"While nicotine consumption is slowly decreasing among men, it is increasing in women," explains Michael Thomas of the Thoraxklinik-Heidelberg in an interview with the news agency "dpa"..

The German Cancer Research Center in Heidelberg (DKFZ) also warns urgently against the consequences of smoking. "The women who were born between 1935 and 1960, have done a huge boost in smoking behavior," says the head of DKFZ cancer prevention unit, Martina Pötschke-Langer told the news agency. "These are the women who are now getting the tobacco-related illnesses - half a year of it has been smoking regularly in life."

This is how the lungs change when they smoke. (Image: bilderzwerg / fotolia)

According to a report presented by the World Cancer Day (American Cancer Society and International Agency for Research on Cancer), around 210,000 women died of lung cancer in the developed world in 2012, and around 198,000 died of breast cancer.

"The lung cancer mortality will certainly continue to increase among women in the next decade," said Pötschke-Langer. The expert thinks a turnaround is possible in 20 years at the earliest. "While the women were always behind the men while smoking, but have approached them more and more." The expert does not see lack of insight as a cause. "Men may be more consistent than women once they make a decision. But it could also be that women use smoking as a regulator to control their weight. "

Smokers are two to three times more likely to have lung cancer than men
Lung specialist Thomas knows that smokers are two to three times more likely to develop lung cancer than male smokers because they usually have smaller lungs and inhale more deeply. As a result, smoke and pollutants can penetrate much further and more intensively into the lungs and cause damage. The first warning for changes in the lungs is the smoker's cough.

Lung cancer is particularly insidious because the symptoms of the disease usually only become noticeable when the tumor is already relatively large. "In lung cancer, the symptoms are very late, the diagnosis is usually too late," said Pötschke-Langer. Only one in five women would survive the disease, adds Thomas. "If the lung cancer is detected at a very early stage, you have a chance of healing up to 70 percent of the patients." But the tumor caused long no complaints.

Pötschke-Langer calls for comprehensive legislative changes, including a ban on tobacco advertising. "It is still the big problem in Germany," says the expert. "Best of all, the tobacco tax should be increased in big steps again really strong." For girls, this would have already shown a positive effect. "The fact that fewer young women smoke, we attributed to the drastic increase in tobacco tax ten years ago and on the nonsmoker protection laws and the public debate about the dangers - that girls are more involved." (Ag)