Lung cancer soon becomes the leading cause of cancer death

Lung cancer is also the most common fatal cancer in women

15/02/2013

Lung cancer will become the most deadly cancer among women in the European Union (EU) in the coming years, according to a recent calculation by scientists from the University of Milan (Italy) and the University of Lausanne (Switzerland). Researchers have predicted cancer deaths across Europe for 2013 based on World Health Organization (WHO) population and mortality data.

The research team of oncologist Professor Carlo la Vecchia of the University of Milan has calculated in his current study the expected cancer deaths for the year 2013 and provides an outlook for years to come. She estimates that from 2015, lung cancer will account for the largest proportion of cancer deaths in women - before breast cancer. This is already the case for men today. The results of their calculations, researchers in the British journal „Annals of Oncology“ released.

1.3 million cancer deaths in 2013
According to Prof. Carlo la Vecchia's scientists, more than 1.3 million people in the EU will die of cancer in 2013. Around 738,000 men and 576,000 women fall victim to cancer this year. In men, lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer death, with almost 187,000 deaths. Breast cancer is still the highest among women today with nearly 89,000 deaths. But lung cancer follows closely behind with 83,000 deaths. In addition, the proportion of deaths from lung cancer in total cancer deaths among women has increased by around seven percent since 2009, while the opposite trend has been observed for men (minus six percent). From the year 2015, lung cancer will be the most common cause of cancer death among women as the development progresses.

Rise in deadly lung cancer from tobacco use
The research team headed by Prof. Carlo la Vecchia estimates that the massive increase in women's fatal lung cancers is due to increased tobacco consumption by women in the 1960s and 1970s. The smokers are now at a critical age for a cancer and accordingly increase the spread of fatal lung cancer. According to the researchers, individual EU countries such as Poland and the UK already report lung cancer as the leading cause of cancer death among women. This situation will be achieved throughout Europe from 2015.

Increase in pancreatic cancer
The analysis of data from the official death certificates for gastric cancer, colon cancer, pancreatic cancer, lung cancer, breast cancer, uterine cancer, prostate cancer or leukemia in the EU states as a cause of death showed, in addition to the increase in lung cancer deaths, also a significant increase in fatal pancreatic cancer diseases (Pancreatic carcinoma), report Prof. la Vecchia and colleagues ... Both in men and women, their share of cancer deaths has increased dramatically since 2009, according to the scientists in the journal „Annals of Oncology“.

Different chances of recovery in the EU countries
The researchers also made a statement on the chances of survival in the case of cancer in the individual EU states. Accordingly had „the lowest male cancer mortality among the six most populous countries in the United Kingdom in 2013“, report Prof. la Vecchia and colleagues. This was about ten percent below the EU average. Poland, on the other hand, showed that according to the scientists „the highest death rates in both sexes.“ This was 25 percent for men and 13 percent higher for women than the EU average. Such a clear difference in the chances of recovery or the cancer death rate also show, „that there is still much room for improvement“, so the conclusion of the scientists. (Fp)

Read about lung cancer:
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Special form of lung cancer in smokers
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Diagnosis smoker's lung: morbidity rate is increasing

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