Lung cancer rates called 'most alarming'

This year, physicians will tell 9,000 West Virginians they havedeveloped cancer.

Next year, that number probably will increase as residents growolder.

"Age is a risk factor for cancer and West Virginia is No. 1 inthehighest median age," said Beverly Keener, director of the WestVirginia Cancer Registry.The registry's new report, covering the years 1993 to 1996, saidcancer is the second-leading cause of death in the state, surpassedonly by heart disease. The vast majority of cases were diagnosed inthose over 45.Each year of the report, about 4,700 West Virginians died ofcancer."Most alarming is the lung cancer rate," Keener said.Cancer of the lung and bronchus kills West Virginians more thanany other cancer, or one in every three cancer deaths. It kills mentwice as often as it kills women.While the cancer registry report is cumulative and does notseparate out specific counties, it does examine rates in eightdifferent public health management districts in West Virginia.The highest rates of cancer of the lung and bronchus occurred indistricts two and three, which represent Mingo, Logan, Wayne,Lincoln, Cabell, Mason, Boone, Putnam, Kanawha and Clay counties.In the country, state females rank third for lung cancer whilestate males rank sixth."If we take out lung cancer, our mortality rate is fairly close tothe national rate," Keener said.The irony is, many cases of lung cancer can easily be prevented,the report says. Smoking is responsible for almost 90 percent ofcases of cancer of the lung and bronchus.Other risk factors include exposure to arsenic, certain organicchemicals, asbestos, radon, radiation and environmental tobaccosmoke.For all cancers combined, West Virginia females have the eighth-highest rate in the U.S. and males rank 11th.On the other hand, the rate of female breast cancer incidence anddeath is lower than the country as a whole. State women rank 41st.For prostate cancer, state males are way down at No. 40.Overall, cancers of the prostate and female breast are two of themost frequently diagnosed in the U.S., Keener said.Many cancers can be prevented if detected and treated early.Ways to help prevent cancer include reducing tobacco use, reducingdietary fat and increasing consumption of fresh vegetables, fruitandfiber.Writer Therese S. Cox can be reached at 348-4874.