The role of health professionals: Caring for the victims

Abstract

Despite the heroic efforts at tobacco control, millions of people will die from tobacco- related diseases within the next decade (Murray & Lopez, 1996). Although almost unknown as a serious public health problem at the beginning of the century, tobacco will become a major cause of preventable death in the world in the next millennium (Peto et al., 1994). One of the most lethal forms of tobacco-related disease is lung cancer. It is the tenth leading cause of death in the world today and in the next 20 years is projected to become the fifth leading cause. Lung cancer is now the first cause of cancer-related death in the world, and its incidence is increasing in developing countries. Currently, 945 000 people die from lung cancer every year, and the number of deaths from lung cancer is projected to double by the year 2020, resulting in 2.4 million deaths, largely because of an 82% increase in the number in developing countries. In comparison with other diseases, lung cancer will move up in the rank order of projected years of life lost from premature death, from No. 22 to No. 12 in the next 25 years, and for disability-adjusted-life years (an indication of premature death and living with disability) will move from No. 33 to No. 15. In developing regions, the impact of lung cancer is escalating, and this disease is already the 48th cause of disability-adjusted-life years (Murray & Lopez, 1996).