The California Cancer Registry and the American Cancer Society have just released a new booklet "California Cancer Facts and Figures, 2006". For those of you living in California with any form of cancer, I urge you to get this informative booklet.

For this report, I will just be focusing on the stats for Lung Cancer in California. California is a leader in tobacco tax initiatives. Following the cancer trends in California will determine what measures the rest of the country must take to decrease the lung cancer rates overall.

Good News! - Basically

Basically, the news is very good. From the period of 1988 - 2002, all types of incidences of cancer in California went down by 12%. Cancer mortality declined by 19%. Thanks to Proposition 99 - the California tobacco control initiative passed in 1988, tobacco-related cancers sharply declined, much more than any other state. Tobacco-related cancers include cancers of the lung, larynx, mouth, pancreas, stomach and bladder. However, lung cancer still causes more deaths than any other cancer.

What About New Cases?

Out of all Californians alive today, about 15 million will eventually get some form of cancer, that is about two in five. Over the years, cancer will strike around three out of every four families. This year alone, there will be more than 15 new cases diagnosed every hour of every day. For men, of all the new cases diagnosed, 13% of them will have lung cancer. For women, that number is 12%.

Tobacco-Related Cancers

Presently, about 85% of lung cancer is caused by cigarette smoking. However, many other cancers are caused by tobacco as well. Overall, one of every three cancer deaths is due to tobacco. The incidence of lung cancer decreased by 26% in the time period mentioned above. Needless to say, for those smokers who have quit smoking, your chances of getting lung cancer decreases over time. After 15 years, the risk is only slightly higher than among people who have never smoked.

Secondhand Smoke

I think we all know by now that secondhand smoke has been determined to cause cancer in humans. But did you know that every year in the U.S., about 3,000 non-smoking adults die of lung cancer directly as a result of secondhand smoke? The most recent high-profile example is Dana Reeve, wife of Christopher Reeve. It is believed she may have contracted it from secondhand smoke as a result of her years as an entertainer in music clubs.

Secondhand smoke is particularly harmful to children. The good news is in 2004, more than 80% of California households with children younger than 5 completely stopped smoking in the home.

Alarming Smoking Trends

Given that lung cancer rates in California have dropped significantly, it would be logical to assume that the smoking rates have also dropped, wouldn't it? And in fact they have, among most adults and teenagers. In 2004, 15% of California adults still smoked.

The alarming trend is the increase in 18-24 year old smokers. They are the fastest growing rate of smokers in California and the tobacco companies are targeting them as the "smokers of the future". The smoking rate for 18-24 year olds was 18% in 2004.

What Can Be Done?

Cancer is the second leading cause of death in California. All cancers caused by tobacco and heavy use of alcohol can be prevented completely. In 2006, 18,000 Californians will die because of tobacco use.

Early diagnosis can save lives by identifying cancer when it is in the curable stage. The five year survival rate for most cancers is very good if it's caught early. Unfortunately, the statistics for lung cancer are not so good, mostly because it is difficult to diagnose early enough.

The California tobacco control initiative has helped to put a dent in the lung cancer rate. Californians need to stay informed and aware. More cigarette tax legislation is on the way.

To get your copy of the California Facts & Figures 2006, go to: www.ccrcal.org.