Women’s Lung Health Barometer

Most women have a very poor understanding of the serious risks posed by lung cancer, a new survey reveals. Conducted by the American Lung Association the Women’s Lung Health Barometer survey explored lung cancer awareness among over 1000 women, 18 and up. At issue is the fact that lung cancer kills twice as many women as any other cancer ranking as the #1 cancer killer of women.

But among those polled, more than half mistakenly cited breast cancer as a bigger killer with only 1% even citing lung cancer among their main cancer concerns.

And although 10% of lung cancer patients have never smoked nearly half wrongly believed the disease is not a threat precisely because they too had never smoked or because they had kicked the habit.

What’s more roughly 4 in 5 were completely unaware that more than half of women die within 1 year following a lung cancer diagnosis.

The survey team concluded that such widespread misperceptions among women highlight the need for raised awareness about the true nature of lung cancer risk.

I’m Dr. Cindy Haines of HealthDay TV with health information for healthier living.