Lack of media interest in lung cancer, says charity
The ICS has conducted analysis of articles referring to breast, prostate and lung cancer and found that though the five-year lung cancer survival rate is only 10% and the disease is the main cancer death in Ireland, it does not get corresponding coverage.
The survey of all Irish daily and Sunday newspapers and national magazines found:
* Breast cancer appeared in 5,175 articles.
* Prostate cancer was in 1,325 articles.
* Lung cancer (including all references to lung cancer in the context of smoking issues) was cited in 1,664 articles.
Norma Cronin, health promotion manager with the ICS, said: “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 signs and symptoms of lung cancer to promote early detection, highlighting advances in research and treatment and present stories of hope and survival.”
She said at a conservative estimate, the ICS calculated that approximately one third of lung cancer coverage analysed in its research was about smoking matters. The ICS found coverage of breast cancer in the Irish press almost doubled in the three years from 2004 to 2006, with a rise of 93%.
“Irish media coverage of prostate cancer increased by a substantial 60%, while media interest in lung cancer increased by just 38%,” it said.
According to the most recent statistics from the National Cancer Registry, 1,842 people were diagnosed with lung cancer in 2005 with 1,627 deaths from the disease. In the same year, there were 2,353 cases of breast cancer with 681 deaths and 2,406 cases of prostate cancer and 537 deaths.
As Ireland’s leading cause of cancer death, more people die each year from lung cancer than prostate cancer and breast cancer combined. Lung cancer is also most likely to eclipse breast cancer as the leading cause of cancer mortality in Irish women.
