Experts agree that sadly it took the illness and recent death of Dana Reeve, widow of actor Christopher Reeve, to focus attention on lung cancer and women—even women who, like Reeve, never smoked.

In fact, 20 percent of the thousands of American women diagnosed with lung cancer each year never used tobacco. Nonsmoking women are also likelier to develop a lung malignancy than nonsmoking men.

Peter Locken, M.D., at Western Baptist Hospital, said lung cancer causes the most cancer deaths for both genders, killing 72,000 women each year in the U.S.

“That’s about 30,000 more than those who die from breast cancer annually,” said Locken.

Reeve’s death illustrates the fact that women—even nonsmokers—are not immune to the disease. Locken believes the media, health care providers and other educational outlets should reinforce that.

“More research, more attention and more awareness need to be given to lung disease and particularly its effects on women,” said Locken. “We need to better know how lung cancer is caused, how to diagnose it early, how to treat it more effectively and how to prevent it.”

Besides cigarette smoking, factors include radiation exposure, asbestos exposure, secondhand smoke exposure and other environmental causes. Scientists also suspect that lung cancer has a genetic component, as well.

Symptoms can include persistent cough, chest pain, wheezing, loss of appetite and unexplained weight loss.

To decrease your risk of lung cancer, Locken recommends stopping smoking, avoiding secondhand smoke and maintaining a healthy lifestyle, including eating properly, exercising and keeping regular health appointments with your primary care provider.

A new lung computer-aided detection system soon will be available at Western Baptist Hospital. The new system examines chest X-rays for suspicious areas, marking them for radiologists to review. Studies have shown that with such technology, fewer lesions are missed, resulting in improved patient outcomes. To learn more about oncology or diagnostic imaging services, visit our Web site at westernbaptist.com or phone Baptist Health Line at (270) 575-2918.