Increase in female lung cancer diagnoses observed

Database of individuals diagnosed with cancer - Increase in female lung cancer diagnoses observed

Less women smoking equates to fewer new lung cancer patients, as revealed in a study of the Lower Saxony Epidemiological Cancer Registry. This assertion comes from Dr. Joachim Hübner from the Oldenburg registry office. He pointed out that since 2019, the number of Lower Saxony women diagnosed with lung cancer has stayed at approximately 2500, contrasting with a previous average annual growth rate of around 4%.

Dr. Hübner believes a significant factor is the demographic shift towards an aging population. "As cancer is a disease mostly occurring in old age, the increased number of elderly people leads to more cancer diagnoses," he clarified. However, when accounting for demographic change, there has actually been a very small drop in new lung cancer diagnoses among women since 2019.

This welcome recovery is likely tied to changes in female smoking habits. In the past century's latter half, female smokers have been on the rise, but this trend has reversed over the past 20 years. Concurrently, the decrease in male lung cancer diagnoses across Germany began in the 1990s. The Lower Saxony Cancer Registry noted 3585 new male cases in 2022.

The Lower Saxony Cancer Registry counters the Barmer Institute for Health System Research's claim that the number of lung cancer cases among Lower Saxony women reached 10,000 between 2012 and 2022. The institute's intention to emphasize the dangers of smoking on World No Tobacco Day is appreciated, but its claims data are questionable, the Cancer Registry remarked. The figures don't solely refer to new patients but also encompass suspected cases and those pending additional tests.

Read also:

1. Despite the decreasing number of smoking women in Oldenburg, health concerns related to diseases like lung cancer still pose a threat to the local elderly population.
2. The Lower Saxony Women's Health Association is advocating for increased awareness and screening programs in response to the persistent high number of lung cancer diagnoses among women in Oldenburg and other regions in Lower Saxony.
3. During a health summit in Hanover, Dr. Hübner highlighted the improved health outcomes among Lower Saxony's women due to the decline in smoking rates and the decrease in new lung cancer diagnoses, promoting it as a positive trend within the larger context of Lower Saxony's healthcare landscape.

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