Setting The Record Straight On Lung Cancer (NAPS)—Even though lung cancer is the number one cancer killer in America, it is a treatable and survivable disease when detected early. Advances in detection methods and new and existing treatment regimens are being researched, providing more hope than ever for people with lung cancer or those It’s Time To Focus On L. CANCER at risk. A new awareness cam- paign, It’s Time To Focus On Lung Cancer, encourages people to learn their risks and seek an early diagnosis. Womenand Lung Cancer: A Deadly Combination Since 1987, lung cancer deaths among women have surpassed those of breast cancer, and while the overall diagnosis of lung can- cer continuesto decline, diagnoses among women continue to rise. Women are more than 1% times more likely than men to develop lung cancer, even when they smoke fewer cigarettes over a shorter period of time. Therisk for dying of lung cancer is 20 times higher among women who smoke two or more packs of cigarettes per day than among women who do not smoke. Are You At Risk? Most lung cancer cases are smoking-related and the risk for lung cancer increases with the quantity, duration, and intensity of smoking. Quitting reduces your lung cancer risk significantly, although former smokers arestill at greater risk compared to people who never smoked. Risk declines with the number of years of smoking cessation. Other lung cancer risk factors include exposure to asbestos, air pollution, environmental tobacco smoke, some organic chemicals, radon, and tuberculosis. Screening Offers Hope Cancer screenings such as mammograms and colonoscopies lead to early detection, which is the key to survival. Unfortunately, there is New resources offer support and hopefor lung cancerpatients, their families, and thoseatrisk. not a recommended screening method for lung cancer. However, new breakthroughs in technology are hopeful. One of the most recent advancesis a special X-ray called a spiral CT scan, which can detect tumors in the lung when they are the size of a grain of rice. In New York, a study of 10,000 current or former heavy smokers is underway to determine if the spiral CT scan should become the standard screening method. Awareness Leads To Empowerment Empower yourself with knowl- edge. More information about lung cancer is available at www.lungcancer.org, a new Web site developed for the It’s Time to Focus On Lung Cancer campaign. The site offers up-to-date information, support and services for people at risk or those living with lung cancer and their loved ones, as well as information for health care professionals. Patients, fam- ily members, and caregivers can also receive support by calling the Lung Cancer Toll-Free Information Line at 1-877-646-LUNG (1-877-646-5864), where they can have questions answered by can- cer social workers. It’s Time To Focus On Lung Cancer is sponsored by Cancer Care, Inc., Oncology Nursing Society, The Wellness Community, and The CHEST Foundation.
