Download Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer death among

January 2012
Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer death among
Ontario women
Almost 3,000 Ontario women
died of lung cancer in 2008,
making it the leading cause
of cancer death among
females in the province. This
disease is highly fatal, mainly
because there are no
effective ways to screen for
it. Its symptoms also tend to
be non-specific and appear
when the cancer is already in
a late stage, so by the time
many people are diagnosed,
treatment is less likely to
work. The five-year relative
survival rate for lung cancer
remains low, at less than
20%.1
After lung, cancers of the
breast (1,888), colon and
rectum (1,433), pancreas
(676) and ovary (601)
represent the second, third,
fourth and fifth most
common causes of cancer
deaths in Ontario females.
The chances of surviving
breast and colorectal cancers
are, however, substantially
higher than the chances of
surviving lung cancer.
Although pancreatic cancer is
rare, it’s the most fatal
cancer in Ontario with the
poorest five-year survival
rate.2 Like lung cancer,
ovarian cancers tend to be
diagnosed at an advanced
stage, making them hard to
beat.

In order of rank, the five most common causes of
cancer death in Ontario females are lung, breast,
colon and rectum, pancreas and ovary.

Survival for lung cancer is poor, mainly because
there are no effective screening procedures and its
symptoms are non-specific.

Tobacco use is a key risk factor for lung and
several other cancers.
The most important risk factor for developing lung cancer is tobacco use, accounting for an
estimated 86% of lung cancer cases in high-income countries like Canada.3 Smoking is also a
risk factor for several other cancers, including colorectal, pancreatic and probably breast
cancer.4
The best way to prevent lung and other cancers related to smoking is to avoid smoking and
being exposed to second-hand smoke. The Ontario government has made it a priority to
reduce cigarette smoke exposure through its Smoke-free Ontario Act, which restricts the public
display of tobacco products, bans smoking in motor vehicles with children under the age of 16
and prohibits smoking in enclosed public spaces, such as the workplace
(http://www.mhp.gov.on.ca/en/smoke-free/default.asp).
References
1. Cancer Care Ontario/Cancer System Quality Index 2011. Cancer in Ontario. Figure 4.
Age-standardized 5-year relative survival ratio* for 14 common cancers, Ontario, 19931997 vs 2003-2007. Available at
http://www.csqi.on.ca/cms/one.aspx?portalId=89621&pageId=89815.
2. Cancer Care Ontario. Cancer Fact: The most fatal cancers in Ontario. April 2011.
Available at http://www.cancercare.on.ca/cancerfacts/.
3. Danaei G, Vander Hoorn S, Lopez AD, Murray CJL, Ezzati M, and the Comparative Risk
Assessment collaborating group (Cancers). Lancet 2005; 366:1784–93.
4. Secretan B, Straif K, Baan R, et al. A review of human carcinogens – Part E: tobacco,
areca nut, alcohol, coal smoke, and salted fish. Lancet Oncol 2009;10:1033–4.
Citation: Material appearing in this Cancer Fact may be reproduced or copied without
permission. The following citation must be used:
Cancer Care Ontario. Cancer Fact: Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer deaths
among Ontario women. January 2012. Available at
http://www.cancercare.on.ca/cancerfacts/.
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This Ontario Cancer Fact was prepared by staff in Prevention and Cancer Control.
www.cancercare.on.ca
Email: [email protected]