Most of the news surrounding cancer lately has been consumed with bare faced girls posing and pouting into the phones taking a #nomakeupselfie. Many have asked what on earth this has got to do with cancer (and indeed so have we).

But did you know lung cancer today is at its highest level in women since 1975, whilst lung cancer rates have fallen by 43% in men?

At the very least the #nomakeupselfie has created a buzz around cancer and Cancer Research. Surely this is a good thing, even if every girl posting their picture was not entirely altruistic?

The hashag went viral and within a day. Even though it was not a campaign started by Cancer Research, they were happy to get involved tweeting “Thousands of you are posting #cancerawareness #nomakeupselfie pictures and many have asked if the campaign is ours. It’s not but we love that people want to get involved!” By the end of the day over £1 million had been donated to research.

Despite awareness and treatment for cancer advancing constantly, increasing levels of lung cancer in women comes as shocking news and highlights the prevalence and danger of cancer in this day and age. Cancer Research UK states that 1 in every 3 of us in the UK will develop some kind of cancer in our lifetime.

Lung cancer is amongst the most common of all cancers (breast cancer is the most common, followed by lung cancer then bowel). Yet, lung cancer is the biggest killer in the UK.

According to the BBC, the highest rates of lung cancer in England are in the North, and lowest in East and South East and South West.

The most common cause of lung cancer is smoking. This accounts for an overwhelming 86% of all cases. Long term smokers are the most likely to develop cancer.

With cancer being such that the earlier it is picked up the sooner treatment can be received and therefore the higher chance of survival – it is clear detecting signs of lung cancer early on is vitally important.

The symptoms you need to look out for with lung cancer are:

• Coughing – having a constant cough or a change in the kind of cough you have had for a long time
• Being short of breath
• Coughing up phlegm
• Feeling an ache when coughing or breathing
• Losing your appetite
• Feeling tired
• Losing weight

For more information about lung cancer and cancer in general click here.