A massive study looking into cancer rates across the UK and in Europe, show that as women lung disease is one of the biggest threats to our health. The study involved lots of organisations from across the continent that complied their data and revealed worrying estimates about our wellness.
Any good news?
Initially the study showed some positive news because estimates show that we’re less likely to die from cancer this year than we did in previous years. But researchers point out that this is not true for all cancers, in fact death rates are expected to keep rising in women who have cancerous tumours in the lungs or pancreas. About 15,479 people in the UK are estimated to die from the disease this year, with breast cancer being the second highest killer resulting in 11,575 deaths. The figures reveal that pancreatic tumours could prove terminal for 4,037 of us this year.
Why no decline?
Experts have raised their concerns why pancreatic and lung cancer death rates are the only ones that may not decline this year. They explain that fatal breast cancer could be decreasing because lumps tend to be discovered earlier than lung tumours, which by their location may only detected once the cancerous cells have spread. Clinicians also say that lung malignancies may take some time to appear and the estimated rise in fatal cases of the condition could be down to an increase in women smoking in the 1960s and 1970s.
What next?
Although lung cancer can take years to develop, the NHS recommends that stopping smoking is our best course of action. It says that if men and women stub out the habit before they are 40-years old, they can significantly cut the risk of getting lung cancer when they are older. The health body believes the decline in deaths linked to other cancers reflects how treatments have improved across the country. Even though we may be diagnosed and treated more effectively these days, the NHS says we can improve our health further by stopping smoking and maintaining a healthy weight.
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