Lung Cancer Kills More Women than Breast Cancer

For the second year running, lung cancer has overtaken breast cancer as the biggest killer of women in Australia.

Although the rate of men dying from lung cancer has declined since the early eighties, according to the latest statistics from Quit Victoria, women’s mortality rates from lung cancer are only just reaching their peak because women’s smoking rates were at their highest much later.

In response to this huge loss of life, Quit Victoria has launched a new anti-smoking ad campaign which will be aired across Victoria from 11 April 2010.

Dubbed “What’s Worse?” – the ad shows a woman learning she has lung cancer from her doctor. In the next scene, we see her struggling to break the news to her children.

According to Quit Victoria, one in four smokers has children under the age of 13 and they’re hoping the new ad campaign will motivate more of them quit.

Quit Executive Director Fiona Sharkie said the ad urges smokers to think about the impact they’re having on their loved ones by choosing to smoke.

“Although the number of smokers is now in decline, the deadly legacy of the years when female smoking rates were at their peak is only now becoming apparent,” she said.

“More women and families are dealing with a lung cancer diagnosis than ever before, most of those because of smoking. Smokers need to realise: this could happen to you and your family. The best way to prevent it from happening is to quit.”

Lung cancer has one of the lowest survival rates of all cancers, and smoking is responsible for more than 80% of cases. But it’s not the only potentially fatal diagnosis smokers needed to be concerned about.

“One out of every two long-term smokers will die of a smoking caused illness,’ said Ms Sharkie.

“If it’s not lung cancer, it could be heart disease, pancreatic cancer or stroke just to name a few. Smokers need to realise they’re not immune to this and their actions today can catch up with them later. The best thing a parent can do for themselves and their families is to quit.”

For more information visit the website www.quit.org.au

Source: Quit Victoria