Smoking to give 4,000 Filipino women lung cancer next year

Nearly 4,000 Filipino women are likely to develop lung cancer next year because of cigarette smoking, according to a report of the Philippine Cancer Society (PCS).

In the 2005 Philippine Cancer Facts and Estimates, the PCS said lung cancer will continue to be the third leading cancer disease for Filipino women. Cancer of the breast is ranked first, followed by cancer of the cervix.

"Lung cancer is the leading cancer site for both sexes combined. It is the leading site for males and the third leading site for females... Cigarette smoking causes lung cancer," the report stated.

An estimated 32 million Filipinos — about 40 percent of the population — smoke.

"More women are getting hooked on smoking. It’s becoming a fad for women to smoke. It’s now part of fashion," PCS president Dr. George Eufemio said in a recent interview.

And since the effects of cigarettes do not manifest immediately, Eufemio said more women could be expected to develop lung cancer in the near future.

"The effects of smoking could be felt at least after 15 years. It’s gradual and if we don’t implement intervention measures now, more women will acquire lung cancer in the coming years," he said.

The PCS report showed that around 13,500 Filipino males are likely to develop lung cancer by 2005, a year that experts say will see more than 15,000 Filipinos of both genders dying from the illness.

The PCS also warned that even non-smokers exposed to cigarette smoke — known as second-hand smokers — are also at risk of lung cancer.

"The best way to fight cancer is to stop smoking," the society said.

According to the Department of Health (DOH), second-hand smoking is also deadly because the smoke produced when tobacco leaves are burned is a "complex, rapidly changing mix of thousands of chemicals."

Some these chemicals are lead or cadmium as well as organic compounds like benzo(a)pyrene, nitrosamines, benzene and carbon monoxide. Benzo(a)pyrene is also found in coal tar and is one of the most potent carcinogens.

The World Health Organization (WHO) is leading global efforts to stop smoking through the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control, the world’s first global treaty on public health.

The Philippines is one of the signatories of the treaty, which is up for ratification by the Senate.

Filipino legislators have also approved Republic Act 9211 or the Tobacco Regulation Act to regulate the advertisement and sponsorship of cigarettes. This law also prohibits minors from smoking.

The PCS said that to reduce cases of lung cancer, the public should also be cautious about its warning signs: persistent cough, blood-streaked sputum, chest pain, recurrent episodes of pneumonia or bronchitis, hoarseness, arm or shoulder pain, weakness and weight loss.

The PCS said while early detection is important in treating lung cancer patients, "there is no effective early detection method for lung cancer."

"As a consequence, majority of patients with lung cancer are diagnosed at an incurable stage," the PCS added.