Lung cancer becoming mostly woman's disease

Lung cancer will be a predominantly woman's disease by 2020, a national cancer expert will say today.

Dr Harry Comber, director of the National Cancer Registry, is to speak at the publication of a new report, Irish Women and Tobacco. The report, commissioned by the Office of Tobacco Control, was carried out by TNS MRBI.

He will also call for more action to reduce smoking levels among middle-aged women. Traditionally anti-smoking drives have focused on young women.

According to Dr Comber, estimates from the National Cancer Registry indicate lung cancer is increasing among women by 3 per cent a year. Commenting in the report, he says: "Far from being a predominantly male disease for the past 50 years, lung cancer will be a predominantly female disease by 2020.

"Increases in other cancers will follow the same trend. It is ironic that despite a generation of health promotion this easily preventable cancer still causes more deaths than any other and a loss of 7,000 years of productive and happy life to women in Ireland each year."

The OTC report will also highlight what Dr Comber describes as a "worrying" find. Women seem prepared to reduce their smoking for the sake of their childrens' health, but go on to resume heavy smoking later.

"This would accord with the finding of the Cancer Registry that lung cancer is increasing most rapidly in older women and also suggests that more effort needs to be devoted to controlling smoking in middle-aged women."

The report, which was carried out using interviews in August 2002, examines the appeal of cigarettes to men and women, differences between genders in their smoking preferences and attitudes as well as what drives women to quit and, in many cases, start smoking again.

Meanwhile, in Vienna the president of the European Society of Cardiology yesterday congratulated the Minister for Health, Mr Martin, for his stance on banning smoking in all indoor workplaces from the start of next year.

Prof Jean-Pierre Bassand, speaking at the ESC annual conference in Austria, said Mr Martin's plans should be taken as a "model" for Europe and the rest of the world.

"One of the objectives of the ESC is to decrease the number of smokers in Europe, which will reduce in turn the burden of cardiovascular disease and other illnesses related to tobacco smoking.

"However, the means of achieving this are in the hands of the politicians."

He said the ESC was "delighted" at Mr Martin's stance.