COPD is caused by a blockage of air flow to and from the lungs. It results from damage over years and affects both men and women. Smokers, and persons exposed to chemical fumes and organic dusts appear to be most at risk. Since the symptoms progress slowly, the disease is sometimes referred to as the silent disease. Although there is no cure, COPD symptoms can be controlled by medication, smoking cessation and other treatments.
Lung cancer is also on the rise.
Canadian Cancer Statistics 1999, show that an estimated 12,000 men and 8,500 women will be diagnosed with lung cancer, and around 17,000 will die from the disease. As with COPD, smoking has been linked to lung cancer. Although lung cancer is seen as a highly preventable disease, the numbers continue to rise. These would include, for example, asthma, lung cancer and tuberculosis. Browse other articles on this site.