Estrogen Linked to Lung Cancer
August 16, 2001
A new study links estrogen use to an increased lung cancer risk. The study claims estrogen magnifies the effects of carcinogens, such as tobacco smoke and radon, increasing women's risk of developing lung cancer. Although previous research established that women are more vulnerable than men to lung cancer, this recent study demonstrates that estrogen plays a major role in female susceptibility to the disease.
Lung cancer kills nearly 60,000 women annually in the United States. It is the leading cause of cancer deaths among American women. Non-smoking women are diagnosed twice as often with lung cancer as non-smoking men. Previous research also found that women experiencing menopause earlier in life have less lifetime exposure to estrogen and have a lower risk of developing lung cancer.
Estrogen not only increases the effects of carcinogens but also contributes to increased lung cell growth, thereby encouraging the growth of cancerous cells.
-- Article Courtesy of InjuryBoard.com
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