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Excerpts from: Cancer Deaths Increase 10.6 Pct Over Last 10 Years

By  KoreaTimes [10/01/01]
 

                 The number of people dying of cancer, the prime cause of death in Korea, was found
                 to have increased more than 10 percent over the last 10 years.

                 The National Statistical Office (NSO) said in a report yesterday that 122.1 out of every
                 100,000 people were reported to have died of cancer last year, up 10.6 percent from
                 the 110.4 in 1990.

                 The deaths caused by cancer accounted to 23.7 percent of the total deaths, estimated
                 at 520.4 per 100,000 people.

                 Lung cancer claimed the highest number of victims on the list.

                 Among cancer victims, 24.4 out of 100,000 people were found to have died of lung
                 cancer, up 69.4 percent from the 14.4 recorded ten years ago.
 

                 ``Lung cancer emerged as No. 1 among different types of cancer deaths because it is
                 hard to detect in its early stages,'' an NSO official said.

                 He added that the sudden rise in deaths from lung cancer was also attributed to the
                 aging population and worsening air pollution combined with smoking.
 

                 Cardiovascular diseases emerged as the third major reason of deaths, victimizing 38.5
                 out of 100,000 persons, down from 47.5.
 

                 The NSO estimated that men had a growing tendency to die of diseases due to more
                 intensive drinking, smoking and work-related stress than their female counterparts.