November 16, 2008

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• Lung Cancer Awareness Month
• Bonus Challenge
• What's New on the WAT?

Welcome to week 20 of the WOMAN Activity Tracker! Every 5 weeks you will receive an e-mail from the WOMAN Activity Tracker Team that includes program features, health tips, and the newest Bonus Challenge information.

Lung Cancer Awareness Month

November is Lung Cancer Awareness Month, a national campaign dedicated to increasing attention to lung cancer issues.

What is lung cancer?

The lungs, a pair of sponge-like, cone-shaped organs, are part of the body's respiratory system. When we breathe in, the lungs take in oxygen, which our cells need to live and carry out their normal functions. When we breathe out, the lungs get rid of carbon dioxide, which is a waste product of the body's cells. Cancers that begin in the lungs are divided into two major types, non-small cell lung cancer and small cell lung cancer, depending on how the cells look under a microscope. Each type of lung cancer grows and spreads in different ways and is treated differently.

Why should I be concerned about lung cancer?

• In 2004, lung cancer accounted for more deaths than breast cancer, prostate cancer, and colon cancer combined.
• In 2008, it is estimated that there will be 215,020 new lung cancer cases and 161,840 deaths from lung cancer.
• Cigarette smoking remains the leading preventable cause of death in the U.S. It is responsible for 87 percent of lung cancer deaths.
• Secondhand smoke is responsible for an estimated 3,000 lung cancer deaths among U.S. nonsmokers each year.
• Today, 18 percent of women still smoke in the U.S.

We already know that the best way to prevent lung cancer is to quit (or never start) smoking. The sooner a person quits smoking the better. Even if you have been smoking for many years, it's never too late to benefit from quitting.

Learn more

• Lung Cancer FAQ
• Smoking and How to Quit
• What Happens When You Quit Smoking?
• Cost of Smoking Cigarettes
• Spotlight on Women's Health: Interview with Lung Cancer Awareness Advocate Amanda Zohn Lawson
• The Great American Smokeout Challenge, from the American Cancer Society
• About Lung Cancer Awareness Month, from the Lung Cancer Alliance

Bonus Challenge

Earn an extra point and move along your route quicker! Take the 5 question quiz, "Smoking and Your Body", to test your knowledge of how smoking affects your health.

Take the Quiz!

What's New on the WAT?

Everyone can fit physical activity into their lives, regardless of ability. Getting started can be a challenge but is well worth the effort. Visit our Tools to Help You Get Started page for tools to help you become physically active and have fun doing it!

Content last updated November 16, 2008.