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11
Malignant Growths of Lung and Bronchus
From the table given below, it will be seen that the total deaths due to malignant
disease of lung and bronchus has remained approximately stationary over the past few
years There are still approximately six times as many males as females who died from
this cause The majority of men affected are not elderly, but aged 55-65 and not an
inconsiderable number are younger still
Deaths
Male Female Total
1950 115 14 129
1951 104 23 127
19 52 1 07 20 127
1953 114 19 133
1954 98 25 123
1955 103 17 120
1956 119 22 141
1957 127 25 152
1958 130 24 154
1959 145 26 171
1960 156 26 182
1961 141 29 170
1962 144 22 166
1963 147 20 167
Deaths due to cancers of the lung and bronchus are the only group of malignant
disease deaths which have increased over the past years Deaths due to other forms of
malignant disease have remained stationary or have shown a decrease The principal
reason for this difference between lung cancer and other forms is, or should be common
knowledge by now. The evidence summarized in the Report of the Royal College of Physicians
published in 1962 and accepted by the Ministry of Health for many years namely 90% of
all lung cancer cases follow long continued cigarette smoking, has not been contraverted
Lung cancer and coronary disease of the heart are the two principal single causes of
death in men of middle age The health education problems arising from this are discussed
elsewhere in this report
The following information has been kindly furnished by Dr Brett, Physician-in
Charge, Static X-Ray Unit, Drayton Park, in respect of persons passing through the Unit
and found to have primary lung cancer. The figures given include residents outside the
Borough as well as Islington residents
Male Female
Number of cases found 70 9