Introduction:
Lung Cancer Awareness Month is celebrated in November with the aim of achieving better results for patients and their families, by raising the level of awareness about lung cancer and the harms of smoking or second hand smoking as one of the main factors causing cancer.
Local Statistics:
According to the National Saudi Cancer Registry (SCR), the number of lung cancer patients in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in 2013 amounted to:
- 5.5 in every 100,000 male cases.
- 1.8 in every 100,000 female cases.
Global Statistics:
According to statistics of the Global Lung Cancer Coalition in 2016, lung cancer reached the following:
- About 1,800,000 cases of lung cancer were recorded.
- About 1,500,000 lung cancer-caused deaths.
Facts about lung cancer:
- Lung Cancer is the most fatal form of cancer in the world and takes more lives than breast and prostate cancers combined.
- A person dies every 30 seconds somewhere in the world of lung cancer.
- 40% of smokers who started smoking in their early teens are more likely to have lung cancer.
- 1 out of 10 persons with lung cancer may survive for 5 years after diagnosis.
- Recent studies indicate that women are more likely to develop lung cancer than men, and that women who smoke are more likely, by two times, to have lung cancer than men who smoke.
- It is found that women need a longer time in their attempt to overcome nicotine addiction than men do.
Objectives of Lung Cancer Awareness Month:
- Raising awareness about the lung cancer.
- Educating those at risk of lung cancer.
- Raising awareness about smoking harms.
Official date:
Globally: November 1st, 2016
Locally: Safar 1st, 1438H
Theme of Lung Cancer Awareness Month 2016:
- Lung cancer patients and their families.
- Smokers and secondhand smokers.
- Health professionals including doctors, nurses and health educators.
- Relevant health associations and organizations.
- The public.
Related links:
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