Cases of lung cancer among women in the UK continue to rise, according to new figures released by Cancer Research UK on Friday.
The leading charity says the rate of lung cancer among women in the UK has risen from 22.2 in every 100,000 women in 1975, to 39.3 today.
In 1975 there were fewer than 8,000 cases of lung cancer diagnosed among UK women, in 2009 this figure was more than 18,000.
The disease is still more common among men in the UK, where there were more than 23,000 cases in 2009.
But unlike women, rates of lung cancer among men in the UK have been falling steeply. In 1975 the rate of lung cancer among men in the UK was 110 per 100,000, whereas now it is 58.8.
The figures also show nearly 35,000 people (19,410 men and 15,449 women) died from lung cancer in the UK in 2010.
The charity says the difference in lung cancer cases for men and women mirrors their different smoking patterns in previous two to three decades.
In the 1960s, around 45% of UK women were smokers; a prevalence that is clearly portrayed in today’s popular American TV series “Mad Men”, which is set in that era. Nowadays the prevalence of smoking among UK women is 20%.
During World War II and the rest of the 1940s, 65% of UK men were smokers, nowadays that figure has fallen to 22%.
Lung cancer was the most common cancer in the UK until the mid-1990s when it was overtaken by breast cancer. However, it still accounts for 11% of all new cancer cases among women, and 14% among men.
Anti-smoking measures, such as banning tobacco advertising and smoking in public places, has reduced the number of smokers in the UK. New measures recently introduced include banning large shops and supermarkets from displaying tobacco products. Smaller shops have to follow from 2015.
The UK government is about to consult on package branding. If this goes ahead, it would mean the colourful packaging of cigarettes, with unique company branding, would be replaced by a uniform colour, size and shape.
The EU is also considering introducing large picture warnings on both sides of the pack.
Cancer Research UK says these measures should reduce one of the remaining ways that tobacco is marketed to children.
Jean King, director of tobacco control at Cancer Research UK told the press it was crucial to end the “packet racket”, and put all cigarettes in plain packs with large health warnings:
“It’s vital that the UK closes one of the last remaining loopholes that portrays smoking as something glamorous and normal, rather than the lethal product it truly is.”
She said no one wants children to take up smoking, and putting cigarettes in plain packs will give them one less reason to do so.
Cancer Research UK’s information director, Sarah Hiom, said:
“… it’s never too late to give up smoking – you will reduce your risk of developing lung cancer and other serious diseases. Your GP or local pharmacy can advise you where to find your local NHS support services.”
Hiom said for every five cases of lung cancer, four are a direct result of smoking. But, she added, this also means one out of five is not, so if you have a cough that lasts for more than three weeks, or a long-standing cough that gets worse, go and get it checked out.
Written by Catharine Paddock PhD