Leading on from past research, indicated that women are more susceptible to lung cancer than men, a new study has discovered that female smokers suffered from chronic heart diseases at a younger age than men.
This was despite the fact that they had smoked for a significantly less number of years.
One of those involved in the findings was Dr. Inga-Cecilie Soerheim from the Channing Laboratory which is part of the Brigham and Young Women’s Hospital.
Using a previous Norwegian study of over nine hundred and fifty, ex and current smokers, all who had chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. This is a term used to describe the different diseases experienced by smokers.
Presenting the results at a meeting of American Thoracic Society, Soerheim explained that people wrongly believe that by only smoking a few cigarettes per day their risk is only slight. However the data from the study proves that for women, in particular, this is simply not the case at all.
The reasons for the difference, between the sexes in terms of cigarette smoking is, as yet, unknown. It could be genetic, hormonal, or a mixture of the two. There will obviously have to be more research carried out to determine that.
Dr. Kathy Albain, who has been studying the differences in lung cancer for the two genders for many years, is an oncologist at Loyola University in their Health system.
It may be as straightforward as the fact that women have smaller lungs than men. Or the female hormones, especially estrogen, may be the culprit.
