Knowing about these cancers and how they can be prevented or detected early can save your life. Breast Cancer More and more women in the U.S. are diagnosed with breast cancer every year. This year, about 175,000 new cases are expected and an estimated 43,300 women will die of the disease. Most women who get breast cancer have no family history of the disease or other risk factors.
Breast cancer can occur at any age, but it becomes more common as a woman gets older.
Lung cancer Lung cancer will claim the lives of about 68,000 women this year in the U.S., more than any other cancer. Perhaps the greatest tragedy of lung cancer is that it can be almost totally prevented, though it still kills many each year. People who smoke are at a greater risk of getting lung cancer as well as a host of other tobacco-related diseases such as heart disease, stroke, and emphysema. About 87 percent of all lung cancers are caused by smoking. Other risk factors include exposure to radon, asbestos, and radiation, especially in smokers.