From 1932 to 1981, the age-standardized mortality rates (ages
25-74 years) for lung cancer among Canadian women increased from
2.8/100,000 to 25.1/100,000. This is the most rapidly increasing
cancer rate among women, and lung cancer rates for Canadian women
have
risen from ninth position in 1965 to second in 1981 (Table 1).
Since
this increase has shown an exponential rise, and breast cancer
mortality has tended to decrease (Figure 1), lung cancer can be
expected to become the leading cause of cancer death for Canadian
women by about 1987. Furthermore, because the lung cancer
mortality
rates among males are gradually slowing, lung cancer mortality
rates
for females may equal those for males by 2000 (1).
The risk of developing lung cancer is strongly associated with
smoking. A survey of smoking habits by the Canada Labour Force
showed
that changes in smoking habits of Canadian women are related to the
increased lung cancer rate:
From 1965 to 1979, the proportion of regular women smokers
was constant, but the proportion of heavy smokers (25 or
more
cigarettes/day) increased continuously.
In the province of British Columbia, the proportion of
heavy
smokers rose before other provinces, and was reflected by
an
earlier trend in the rapid increase of lung cancer
mortality
among women in British Columbia.
The proportion of heavy smokers in British Columbia remains
higher
than in the other Canadian provinces and is reflected by a faster
increasing rate of lung cancer among British Columbian women than
among women in the rest of Canada. In some provinces, the
proportion
of regular smokers continues to decrease, despite increases in the
proportion of heavy smokers and in the average number of cigarettes
consumed per day.
Reported in Chronic Diseases in Canada (1983;4:32-4) by Y Mao, H
Smith, Non-Communicable Disease Div, Bureau of Epidemiology,
Laboratory Centre for Disease Control, Health and Welfare Canada;
Office of the Director, Center for Health Promotion and Education,
CDC.
Editorial Note
Editorial Note: The lung cancer epidemic among women is also
occurring in the United States (Figure 2). The American Cancer
Society estimates that 36,000 women will die in the United States
from
lung cancer in 1984. This approaches the 37,300 estimated deaths
from
breast cancer, which has been the primary cause of cancer mortality
among U.S. women (2). In at least two states, Kentucky and
Washington, lung cancer deaths have exceeded breast cancer deaths
among women (3,4).
Approximately 85% of all lung cancer cases are attributable to
cigarette smoking (5). The lung cancer epidemic is especially
tragic
because it is preventable. Increased focus on the health problems
of
smoking among women and on the potential for effective intervention
is
needed (6).
References
Stolley PD. Lung cancer in women--five years later, situation
worse. N Engl J Med 1983;309:428-9.
Silverberg E. Cancer statistics, 1984. Ca--A Cancer J
Clinicians
1984;34:7-23.
Kentucky Cabinet for Human Resources. Selected cancer deaths.
State Center for Health Statistics. 1981 annual vital
statistics
report;1983:478.
Starzyk PM. Lung-cancer deaths: equality by 2000? N Engl J
Med
1983;308:1289-90.
Office on Smoking and Health. The health consequences of
smoking: cancer. A report of the Surgeon General. Rockville,
Maryland: Public Health Service, U.S. Department of Health and
Human Services, 1982.
Office on Smoking and Health. The health consequences of
smoking
for women. A report of the Surgeon General. Rockville,
Maryland: Public Health Service, U.S. Department of Health and
Human Services, 1980.
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