LUNG CANCER, a cancer with one of the lowest five-year survival rates, is under-reported by the media compared to other major cancers, research by the Irish Cancer Society (ICS) suggests.
In a quantitative analysis of articles published in the national press and national magazines from 2004 to 2006, breast cancer was referred to in more than 5,000 stories, while prostate cancer was mentioned on 1,325 occasions. But lung cancer, which kills almost 1,600 people in the State annually, was cited in 1,664 articles. The ICS research also found that press coverage of breast cancer almost doubled in the three-year study period, while media interest in lung cancer increased by just 38 per cent.
Noting that lung cancer appears to receive more attention than prostate cancer, Norma Cronin, health promotion manager of the ICS, said "coverage is scant when references to lung cancer in the context of smoking issues are removed".
"The vast majority of lung cancer coverage in the print media is overshadowed and defined by tobacco-related issues, and does not focus on explaining sign and symptoms of lung cancer to promote early detection."
Prof Thomas Lynch, director of the Centre for Thoracic Cancers at the Massachusetts Hospital, Boston, who is in the Republic to speak to healthcare professionals about targeted therapies for lung cancer, said: "This research shows that lung cancer related media coverage in Ireland is seriously disproportionate to the incidence of and mortality from the disease, and supports the long-held theory, evident in other countries, that there is a lack of interest in the media in lung cancer."
Stephen McMahon, chairman of the Irish Patients Association, called on the media to bring more attention to lung cancer.
"They have the power to increase awareness and educate people about lung cancer, and become a 'voice' for a group that has been clearly overlooked for many years," he said.
One reason for the poor public profile of lung cancer is thought to be its strong link with smoking and a widely held view that the cancer is "self-inflicted" as a result. Other possible reasons include the fact that lung cancer occurs primarily in those from lower socio-economic groups and the disease's low profile among celebrity driven charities.
The latest figures from the National Cancer Registry show that 1,842 people where diagnosed with lung cancer in the Republic in 2005, while the Central Statistics Office recorded 1,627 annual deaths from the disease. Most lung cancers are caused by smoking, but about 5 per cent of cases are linked to radon, an inert gas that has been discovered in high concentrations beneath certain buildings in small pockets around the country. Asbestos exposure has also been linked with lung cancer; certain types of asbestos fibre cause mesothelioma, a rare cancer affecting the lining around the lung.
Lung cancer rates are rising in women, reflecting the increasing numbers of females who smoke.