New Brigham and Women’s Hospital Report Brings Lung Cancer in Women Out of the Shadows
BWH releases the most current and comprehensive overview of the impact of lung cancer on women.
Boston, MA, May 12, 2010 --(PR.com)-- A groundbreaking new report entitled “Out of the Shadows: Women and Lung Cancer” was released today by Brigham and Women’s Hospital. The report, written for the general public, represents the most current and comprehensive overview of the impact of lung cancer on women to date.
Some important statistics:
* Rates of lung cancer in women are rising, particularly in women who’ve never smoked.
* More than 60 percent of new lung cancer patients have either never smoked or already quit, and the majority of those who have never smoked are women.
* Women are more likely to die of lung cancer than any other cancer, including breast, ovarian and cervical cancers, yet few women are aware of the statistics.
* Women with lung cancer who have never smoked outnumber their male counterparts three to one.
* Research on sex differences in lung cancer is providing new insights into the disease.
* There is accumulating evidence that hormonal and genetic factors influence the development of lung cancer.
* The lack of funding for lung cancer research is preventing progress on the disease.
Lung cancer is the least funded of all the major cancers in terms of research dollars per death. Inadequate funding for lung cancer is largely the result of two factors: 1) Lung cancer carries a stigma unheard of with other deadly diseases; and 2) Because there are so few survivors, lung cancer advocacy has not gained traction as a movement demanding attention and research dollars as effectively as other cancer lobbies.
“This report places a bright spotlight on this deadly disease – particularly its impact on women – and summarizes existing research on sex and gender differences in lung cancer. We believe that a better understanding of the roles that genetic, hormonal, behavioral and environmental factors play in this lethal disease will advance preventative, diagnostic and therapeutic practice and improve outcomes,” said Yolonda Colson, MD, PhD, cardiothoracic surgeon at Brigham and Women’s Hospital and founder of the Women’s Lung Cancer Forum.
“Out of the Shadows” highlights gaps in current knowledge about lung cancer’s lethality, summarizes existing research on sex and gender differences in lung cancer, identifies shortcomings in current research funding that would provide better understanding of these biological differences and recommends steps to reduce the burden of this disease in women and men.
Lung Cancer Alliance (LCA), the leading national organization dedicated to providing patient support and advocacy for those living with or at risk for lung cancer, hailed the report. “This is a wake-up call for women and a must read for anyone concerned about lung cancer and its impact on women – and our society as a whole,” said Laurie Fenton Ambrose, LCA President and CEO. “We want to galvanize women to demand a more comprehensive and compassionate response from our public health and policy community for all those affected by this killer. Lung cancer cannot remain in the shadow of other high-profile diseases any longer.”
The full report can be found at www.brighamandwomens.org/womenspolicy
Brigham and Women's Hospital (BWH) is a 777-bed nonprofit teaching affiliate of Harvard Medical School and a founding member of Partners HealthCare, an integrated health care delivery network. In July of 2008, the hospital opened the Carl J. and Ruth Shapiro Cardiovascular Center, the most advanced center of its kind. BWH is committed to excellence in patient care with expertise in virtually every specialty of medicine and surgery. The BWH medical preeminence dates back to 1832, and today that rich history in clinical care is coupled with its national leadership in quality improvement and patient safety initiatives and its dedication to educating and training the next generation of health care professionals. Through investigation and discovery conducted at its Biomedical Research Institute (BRI), BWH is an international leader in basic, clinical and translational research on human diseases, involving more than 860 physician-investigators and renowned biomedical scientists and faculty supported by more than $416 M in funding. BWH is also home to major landmark epidemiologic population studies, including the Nurses' and Physicians' Health Studies and the Women's Health Initiative. For more information about BWH, please visit http://www.brighamandwomens.org/.
###
Some important statistics:
* Rates of lung cancer in women are rising, particularly in women who’ve never smoked.
* More than 60 percent of new lung cancer patients have either never smoked or already quit, and the majority of those who have never smoked are women.
* Women are more likely to die of lung cancer than any other cancer, including breast, ovarian and cervical cancers, yet few women are aware of the statistics.
* Women with lung cancer who have never smoked outnumber their male counterparts three to one.
* Research on sex differences in lung cancer is providing new insights into the disease.
* There is accumulating evidence that hormonal and genetic factors influence the development of lung cancer.
* The lack of funding for lung cancer research is preventing progress on the disease.
Lung cancer is the least funded of all the major cancers in terms of research dollars per death. Inadequate funding for lung cancer is largely the result of two factors: 1) Lung cancer carries a stigma unheard of with other deadly diseases; and 2) Because there are so few survivors, lung cancer advocacy has not gained traction as a movement demanding attention and research dollars as effectively as other cancer lobbies.
“This report places a bright spotlight on this deadly disease – particularly its impact on women – and summarizes existing research on sex and gender differences in lung cancer. We believe that a better understanding of the roles that genetic, hormonal, behavioral and environmental factors play in this lethal disease will advance preventative, diagnostic and therapeutic practice and improve outcomes,” said Yolonda Colson, MD, PhD, cardiothoracic surgeon at Brigham and Women’s Hospital and founder of the Women’s Lung Cancer Forum.
“Out of the Shadows” highlights gaps in current knowledge about lung cancer’s lethality, summarizes existing research on sex and gender differences in lung cancer, identifies shortcomings in current research funding that would provide better understanding of these biological differences and recommends steps to reduce the burden of this disease in women and men.
Lung Cancer Alliance (LCA), the leading national organization dedicated to providing patient support and advocacy for those living with or at risk for lung cancer, hailed the report. “This is a wake-up call for women and a must read for anyone concerned about lung cancer and its impact on women – and our society as a whole,” said Laurie Fenton Ambrose, LCA President and CEO. “We want to galvanize women to demand a more comprehensive and compassionate response from our public health and policy community for all those affected by this killer. Lung cancer cannot remain in the shadow of other high-profile diseases any longer.”
The full report can be found at www.brighamandwomens.org/womenspolicy
Brigham and Women's Hospital (BWH) is a 777-bed nonprofit teaching affiliate of Harvard Medical School and a founding member of Partners HealthCare, an integrated health care delivery network. In July of 2008, the hospital opened the Carl J. and Ruth Shapiro Cardiovascular Center, the most advanced center of its kind. BWH is committed to excellence in patient care with expertise in virtually every specialty of medicine and surgery. The BWH medical preeminence dates back to 1832, and today that rich history in clinical care is coupled with its national leadership in quality improvement and patient safety initiatives and its dedication to educating and training the next generation of health care professionals. Through investigation and discovery conducted at its Biomedical Research Institute (BRI), BWH is an international leader in basic, clinical and translational research on human diseases, involving more than 860 physician-investigators and renowned biomedical scientists and faculty supported by more than $416 M in funding. BWH is also home to major landmark epidemiologic population studies, including the Nurses' and Physicians' Health Studies and the Women's Health Initiative. For more information about BWH, please visit http://www.brighamandwomens.org/.
###
Contact
Brigham and Women’s Hospital
Suzanne Benz
(617) 534-1604
http://www.brighamandwomens.org/
75 Francis Street
Boston, MA 02115 USA
Suzanne Benz
(617) 534-1604
http://www.brighamandwomens.org/
75 Francis Street
Boston, MA 02115 USA
Contact
Categories