Lung Cancer In Women - Do Not Become The Next Victim

According to research, women over 40, run twice the risk of getting lung cancer than men (if you compare a man and a woman who smoke the same amount every day).

When deaths were categorized by age and sex, cancer was by far the leading cause of death among women aged 40 to 79.

Lung cancer in women was the leading cause of cancer death for women aged 60 years and over.

The rate of lung cancer cases appears to be dropping among white and African-American men in the United States, while it continues to rise in both white and African-American women.

Smoking is the number one cause of lung cancer.

I have a friend and co-worker, a registered nurse, who was a heavy smoker. We first met when she hired me to work on her hospital unit. Janine was my supervisor for a few years until she suddenly terminated, for reasons unknown to anyone. Years later, I ran into her at another hospital and was shocked at her appearance. We are the same age, yet her hair was completely white. We sat down and she gave me all the grisly details.

The reason Janine terminated mysteriously was due to being diagnosed with lung cancer. She became a heavy smoker to relieve stress. Then one day her coughing worsened until she began to cough up blood. She had none of the other early symptoms such as shortness of breath, fever of unknown cause, wheezing, bronchitis or chest pain.

She was out of work for a very long time and no one knew what happened to her. She said the grueling tests and treatments seemed never-ending. She had multiple surgeries resulting in one lung removal and one-fourth of the other one. She had radiation therapy, chemotherapy and lost all of her long beautiful hair. She had to take numerous medications every day and cope with extreme pain at times.

Janine considered herself very fortunate to have survived. When I ran into her, she was still tall and slender yet not skinny. Her hair was still white but all had re-grown. Janine is back to work and says she’s doing well. And yes she quit smoking permanently.

Lung cancer in women is on the rise as well as the deaths.

If you are a smoker, STOP SMOKING. The American Lung Association has books, videos, and group programs to help you quit for good. The Lung Association is also offering a new way to stop smoking through its Freedom From Smoking® online smoking cessation clinic. Find out more by visiting the American Lung Association website.

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