The following blog post was written by Dr. Ginny Mantello, Director of Health and Wellness.
You’d probably be surprised to find out that lung cancer is by far the leading cause of cancer death among both women and men. November is Lung Cancer Awareness Month, so please take a moment to read this information on the disease and pass it along to your friends and family, especially if they are smokers. Here on Staten Island, lung cancer rates are 20% higher than the rest of the city, so it’s important to raise awareness about the disease:
For more information on lung cancer, visit: https://www.cancer.org/cancer/lung-cancer.html
You’d probably be surprised to find out that lung cancer is by far the leading cause of cancer death among both women and men. November is Lung Cancer Awareness Month, so please take a moment to read this information on the disease and pass it along to your friends and family, especially if they are smokers. Here on Staten Island, lung cancer rates are 20% higher than the rest of the city, so it’s important to raise awareness about the disease:
- Lung cancer kills more people than breast, colon, and prostate cancer combined, and accounts for one in four deaths related to cancer.
- The biggest risk factor for lung cancer is smoking. 90% of Lung Cancers occur in smokers.
- Early detection is key, as many symptoms do not appear until late stages. Individuals with early stage cancer can be cured.
- High risk individuals can now get screened for lung cancer. People with a 30 year smoking history (even if you’ve quit within the past 15 years) and fall between the age range of 55-80 are eligible for screenings under most insurances.
- Smoking is an addiction. There are support groups and smoking cessation classes at both Staten Island hospitals to help people quit. You can find more information on them here: http://www.statenislandpps.org/health-topics/smokingcessation/
For more information on lung cancer, visit: https://www.cancer.org/cancer/lung-cancer.html
