Understanding Cancer in Women: Why It Matters and What We Can Do

Lung cancer and mesothelioma are a big worry for women worldwide. Many things like our bodies, the environment, and how we live can make this disease more likely.

It’s the main cause of cancer deaths in women in some countries. But when we talk about lung cancer and mesothelioma, we often think more about men. This makes it hard to learn about, treat, and help women who have it.

A new study in Clinical Lung Cancer looks at the history and future of lung cancer in women.

Decoding Women’s Unique Risks

Researchers say it’s hard for women with lung cancer or mesothelioma to get the right help. Not enough women are part of studies to learn about cancer treatments. There aren’t clear rules for treating women with these types of cancer. And sometimes, doctors don’t think about how being a woman might affect treatments or how they feel after.

Women with cancer face many problems. They might feel sad or worried, and it’s tough to talk about these feelings with doctors. People might judge them because they had lung cancer, making life harder for them and their families.

Empowering Women in the Fight Against Lung Cancer

To help women with cancer, researchers say need to look at everything, like how their bodies work, the world around them, and how they live. We should include more women in studies about cancer treatments. Doctors need to think about how being a woman might change the best ways to treat cancer.

Mesothelioma is another kind of cancer that affects the lungs. It’s caused by being around asbestos, a material used in old buildings. Both lung cancer and mesothelioma can be caused by things in the air or our environment. That’s why learning about lung cancer in women can also help us understand and treat mesothelioma better.

Lung cancer and mesothelioma in women is a big problems, and many things cause it. To help them, we need to think about everything that might make it more likely for women to get lung cancer. By learning more about this and giving better care, we can find better ways to prevent, find, and treat lung cancer in women.

Source:

Florez, Narjust, Lauren Kiel, Ivy Riano, Shruti Patel, Kathryn DeCarli, Natasha Dhawan, Ivy Franco, et al. “Lung Cancer in Women: The Past, Present, and Future.” Clinical Lung Cancer 0, no. 0 (October 19, 2023). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cllc.2023.10.007.