WASHINGTON, DC (WUSA)-- Lung cancer is on the cusp of surpassing
breast cancer as the leading killer among women in Europe,
according to new published research by the European Society for
Medical Oncology. While the number of cancer related deaths have
decreased, lung cancer deaths are still on the rise, by 7%,
among women in these countries since 2009. Professor Carlo La
Vecchia, MD, an author of the study says, "If these opposite
trends in breast and lung cancer rates continue, then in 2015
lung cancer is going to become the first cause of cancer
mortality in Europe. This is already true in the UK and Poland."
Since prevalent smoking in Europe has played a factor, Dr. La
Vecchia is hopeful that in the future, the rates may level out.
"Fewer young women nowadays in the UK and elsewhere in Europe
are smoking and, therefore, deaths from lung cancer may start to
level off after 2020 at around 15 per 100,000 women," he said.
And it's not just European women who are paying the price for
this deadly habit: lung ca