Lung Cancer Among Women, Attention Need?

Abstract

Background: Lung cancer is a disease can affect anyone during their lifetime but it is more increase in smokers. It is not only disease of men, it also affect woman. Smoking women are a victim of lung cancer along with non-smoking women. Globally, in the last decade’s lung cancer incident increase among women so this study aim to assess characteristics of lung cancer among women. Method: It was a descriptive study carried out at the Holy City of Karbala, included 92 women diagnosed with lung cancer. Information collected including, age, smoking history, histopathological types and staging. Results: Median age of patients at diagnosis was 63 years old. The highest rate of patients diagnosed at 60 -69 age group (35.9%). 25% of women their age less than 55 years old. Adenocarcinoma is the most common histopathological type represented 39.1% of patients. 58.7% of women were smoker. 90% were stage 3 and 4 at diagnosis. Conclusions: Ages of women in this study were younger than reported in developed countries. Majority of patients were diagnosed at advance stage that leads to decrease opportunity to cure. Hence, tobacco smoking control and screening program are require for early diagnosis of disease to improve survival, also attention need for young non-smoker women to be included in the screening program.