Breast cancer remains the leading cause of cancer deaths in women today (11.900 deaths in 2012), according to a report published Tuesday by the French Institute for Public Health Surveillance (InVS) and the National Cancer Institute (INCa) . But the lung cancer, the fourth most frequent in France, worries professionals. Survival rates over five years remain very low: In fifteen years, this rate has fallen from 13% to 17% for all patients. And for women, the outlook is alarming.
« Lung cancer in women has quadrupled in ten years "Says the doctor in public health Julien Carretier, researcher at the Center Léon Bérard in Lyon on this world day of fight against cancer. " The evolutions are fast. This cancer will be more deadly than breast cancer next year », He warns. An assertion echoed by oncologist Henri Pujol, former president of the League against cancer: "Since 2013 in the Hérault, women die more from lung cancer than from breast cancer". In 2012, 8623 women died from lung cancer.
Smoking responsible for 80% of lung cancer
The origins of the disease are not far to seek: according to the National Cancer Institute, active smoking is responsible for 80% of lung cancer. " One third of women smoke. Today, they smoke almost as much as men ", Laments Julien Carretier. Several studies reveal that women are more sensitive to the harmful effects of tobacco.
More smokers, more sick ... and more deaths. " The prospects are dark ", Underlines the oncologist Henri Pujol. " Without effective treatment of this disease, the solution passes prevention and cessation of smoking He adds. " This is a message that often interests the media less than rare diseases ... But it is essential to say that lung cancer could be prevented by not smoking! »
Source : 20minutes.fr
