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The number of Welsh women diagnosed with lung cancer has increased by more than a third in the past decade, a new report has revealed.

According to the Welsh Cancer Intelligence and Surveillance Unit, the amount of lung cancer cases in women rose from 825 in 2003 to 1,121 in 2013.

Wales now has the third highest cancer rate in women in the whole of Europe, the report estimates.

The rise has been blamed on an increase in women smokers in the 1970s, 80s and early 90s, with numbers peaking in the 1980s.

In contrast, the figures for men have remained consistent over the past 10 years with 1,294 cases in 2003 and 1,249 in 2012.

The Welsh Government says it is making “significant efforts” in Wales to tackle the effects of smoking through its Tobacco Control Action Plan and forthcoming Public Health Bill.

Lung cancer was the third most common cancer in men and the second most common in women in Wales in 2012.

The Cwm Health Board area, which covers Rhondda Cynon Taff and Merthyr, has the highest lung cancer rate in Wales – two-thirds higher than the lowest, Powys.

The report estimates around 36 new cases of lung cancer are diagnosed each week in Wales as a result of tobacco smoke’s effects in smokers and non-smokers.

And an estimated nine cases each week are diagnosed in Wales due to other factors such as naturally-occurring radioactive radon gas, asbestos exposure and transport air pollution.

The report found that lung cancer is “almost entirely preventable” in the population through effective tobacco control and by addressing those other risks.

Dr Dyfed Wyn Huws, director of the Welsh Cancer Intelligence and Surveillance Unit, said: “Lung cancer is the most common cancer worldwide and is the commonest cancer leading to death in the EU.

“However, the disease is largely preventable. While smoking rates have come down in Wales, and asbestos exposure is now regulated, further effective tobacco control is still needed to bring our rates down to the levels of Sweden or Australia, for example.

“We also need to look at other risks such as air pollution and radon.

“We also need to see more people diagnosed at an earlier stage when they could be potentially treated with surgery or radiotherapy.”

For the majority of 2003 to 2012, men and women in Wales had a higher lung cancer incidence rate than England.

But in 2012, the rate in men was slightly lower than in England, making it the lowest of all four UK countries.

According to the report, lung cancer has the strongest link to deprivation of all the commonest cancers, mainly due to the link with smoking and past industries.

It also showed that although most people go to their doctor with a late stage of the disease, 12% visit when the disease is potentially curable by surgery and radiotherapy.

These figures vary between health board populations with as much as 15% presenting early in the Cwm Taf Health Board population.

A Welsh Government spokesman said: “We welcome this report, which gives valuable insight into lung cancer in Wales. Lung cancer is a priority and this report will inform a programme of work to deliver improvements in the way the disease is diagnosed and treated.

“One of the key actions set out in the cancer delivery plan is to reduce the gap in inequalities in terms of both incidence and mortality rates. As part of their local plans, health boards are putting in place actions to address this, for example the Aneurin Bevan University Health Board initiative with Macmillan Cancer Support to pilot a GP facilitator post, which improves GP awareness of cancer symptoms to support early diagnosis and treatment.”

Susan Morris, General Manager for Wales at Macmillan Cancer Support, said: " Macmillan Wales welcomes the report by the Welsh Cancer Intelligence and Surveillance Unit which highlights the rising number of new lung cancer cases diagnosed in Wales.

"In Wales 1,928 people die from lung cancer every year. However, while the survival rates are poor, the important thing to remember is that if caught early enough it is treatable.

“Macmillan research shows that 77% of lung cancer patients have said they are unaware of the signs and symptoms, and that means many are being diagnosed too late for curative treatment.

"It’s vital that people are more aware of the signs and symptoms of lung cancer - if people go to their GP when symptoms occur this could potentially have very real consequences in terms of a person’s recovery. As we know the earlier people are diagnosed, and the earlier treatment begins, the more likely they are to have a good outcome."

The Welsh Cancer Intelligence and Surveillance Unit will publish its next lung cancer report, which provides a detailed analysis of lung cancer mortality and survival in Wales, later this month.