News Canada
Information for Life.
Sherri Dmyterko: Lung Cancer kills more women in Canada every year than any other cancer. It's estimated that this year alone more than 10,000 women will be diagnosed and nearly 9,000 will die. However, a new survey finds that many Canadians don't realize how many women are affected by this deadly disease. In a recent Lung Cancer Canada/Ipsos Reid survey only 15% of women named lung cancer as the number one cancer killer of women, compared to the two-thirds of women who said breast cancer. Roz Brodsky is a Toronto area lung cancer survivor.
Roz Brodsky: When I was first diagnosed I was not aware of the fact that lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer death for both men and women in Canada and the thing that I found even more shocking was when I learned that the fastest growing group of people being diagnosed with lung cancer are young women in their 30s and early 40s. That's why it's so vital that women learn about lung cancer, we have to be concerned about the health of our lungs and learn the signs and symptoms became early detection is the key to surviving this disease.
Sherri Dmyterko: According to one news study in the New England Journal of Medicine, lung cancer survival is dependent on what stage it's diagnosed at and what treatment options are available. If diagnosed at an early stage and followed by treatment, up to 92% of patients will survive up to 10 years after diagnosis. Sadly, the reality is that only 16% of people diagnosed with lung cancer in Canada will be alive five years after diagnosis, because the majority are diagnosed with advanced disease. Dallas Petroff is the Executive Director of Lung Cancer Canada.
Dallas Petroff: Ladies for Lungs is an existing new project that Lung Cancer Canada is involved in. So we have developed the Lung List which is now up on our website at www.lungcancercanada.ca and there they can find all the signs and symptoms so that there can be early detection of lung cancer for themselves or their loved ones.
Sherri Dmyterko: It's important to be aware of possible signs and symptoms of lung cancer which can include persistent cough or a change in existing cough. Coughing of blood, increased phlegm, chest pain and shortness of breath or whizzing. If you are concerned about the health of your lungs or the lungs of your loved ones, contact your physician. According to the survey when asked which cancers they are most concerned about only one in five women cited lung cancer.
Dallas Petroff: Lung cancer needs to be a priority for every Canadian, because out of those who are diagnosed with lung cancer, while many have been smokers or are smokers, in fact 35% of former smokers get lung cancer and 50% of people diagnosed with lung cancer who never smoked.
Roz Brodsky: In most cases it's the women in the family who are the health watchers, who are the ones booking the doctor's appointment and taking care of family members when they are sick. So the more that women become educated about lung cancer, the greater the chances that we are going to get better early screening, earlier detection and better treatment. The more the Canadian women Ladies for Lung, the faster we are going to be able to affect these changes that ultimately will help save life.
Sherri Dmyterko: The survey also found that nearly half of Canadians said there isn't enough being done to find treatment for lung cancer.
Dallas Petroff: Lung cancer has to be a priority, we need better access to treatment, we need better treatments, we need more research, we need it now. Lung cancer has to be a priority.
Sherri Dmyterko: For more information on lung health or lung cancer, contact Lung Cancer Canada at www.lungcancercanada.ca or call 1-888-445-4403. Sherri Dmyterko reporting.
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