Men and Women Compared Regarding Lung Cancer Incidence: Determining the Higher-Risk Group
In India, the incidence of lung cancer is on the rise, not just among men, but also among women. This alarming trend is driven by a variety of risk factors that are often overlooked, particularly in rural areas.
Historically, lung cancer was believed to primarily affect men, due to their higher rates of tobacco consumption and occupational exposure to hazardous substances. However, the landscape is changing. The use of tobacco, especially in betel and gutka, is gradually increasing among women. Additionally, women are often exposed to harmful smoke from traditional cooking methods or passive smoking at home, contributing to the rise in cases.
The rise in lung cancer cases among women is not incidental. It's due to changing lifestyles, increased use of smokeless tobacco products, and environmental factors like indoor air pollution. Outdoor air pollution, notably PM2.5 levels exceeding WHO limits, also plays a significant role.
Unfortunately, diagnosis of lung cancer in women is often delayed or missed due to non-specific symptoms and societal as well as diagnostic barriers. Women in India often discover lung cancer after the disease has spread, and access to advanced diagnostic tools and latest treatments remains limited, especially outside urban centers.
Dr. Manav Manchanda, the Director & Head of Respiratory, Critical Care & Sleep Medicine at Asian Hospital, has noted an increase in the diagnosis of lung cancer in women. Symptoms like persistent coughing or dyspnea are often misdiagnosed as associated with tuberculosis. Setting up facilities for early screening of lung cancer can improve outcomes.
Prevention strategies emphasize stronger tobacco control, reducing smoking prevalence among youth and adults, and promoting cleaner cooking fuel alternatives and improving ventilation, especially in rural and semi-urban areas. Tackling outdoor air pollution through environmental regulations and urban planning to lower PM2.5 and industrial emissions is also crucial. Raising public awareness about lung cancer symptoms and risks, especially among women and non-smokers, to encourage early medical consultation is another key strategy. Expanding access to early detection and screening programs is also important, although currently such programs are limited in India.
These combined efforts are critical as lung cancer among women in India poses a significant public health challenge, exacerbated by environmental and social factors beyond traditional smoking risks. Creating awareness about lung cancer in rural areas can help ensure early detection, improving prognosis and saving lives.
- The rise in lung cancer among women in India can be attributed to various factors such as increased use of smokeless tobacco products, exposure to polluted indoor air, and changing lifestyles.
- Early detection of lung cancer in women is essential for improved outcomes, but it's often delayed due to non-specific symptoms and limited access to advanced diagnostic tools and treatments, particularly outside urban centers.
- To combat this pressing public health issue, it's imperative to focus on prevention through stronger tobacco control, promotion of cleaner cooking fuel alternatives, improving ventilation, tackling outdoor air pollution, raising public awareness about lung cancer symptoms, and expanding access to early detection and screening programs, especially in rural areas.
