Women are more likely than men to develop the most deadly form of lung cancer which is nearly always caused by smoking, researchers said on Wednesday. The results of Britain's largest study of lung cancer patients, presented at the British Thoracic Society winter meeting, showed that women under 65 were at particular risk of getting small cell lung cancer, which is usually inoperable. The study, which was based at the Royal College of Physicians Research Unit, examined data from 46 hospitals. The researchers will use the information to check areas of the country which have poor survival rates for lung cancer. Pearson said that despite the publicity about the dangers of smoking teenage girls are still taking up the habit.
Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer deaths in most countries.
Pearson said small cell lung cancer is particulalry virulent and half of patients die in six months. But studies have shown that quitting does reduce the risk of being killed by tobacco. Even middle aged adults who stop smoking avoid most of their risk of dying from tobacco-related diseases. If they stop earlier they avoid nearly all of it. This page, and other ASH web pages, may be freely copied and reproduced in print or on other web pages.