Message from the Honourable Leona Aglukkaq, Minister of Health

Ministerial Message - Lung Cancer Awareness Month

November 2012

This year, over 25,000 Canadians will be diagnosed with lung cancer and over 20,000 will die of it. Lung cancer remains the leading cause of cancer death for both men and women.

November is Lung Cancer Awareness Month and an opportunity to focus on the steps we can take to reduce our exposure to the top two causes of this terrible disease - tobacco smoke and radon gas.

Although smoking rates continue to decline in Canada, tobacco use is still the leading cause of preventable lung disease and lung cancer in this country. Quitting smoking or avoiding smoking altogether, is the most effective way to prevent chronic respiratory diseases such as lung cancer and Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease.

Fighting cancer is a priority for this Government and we recently announced a new initiative to help smokers who want to quit. Smokers can now find a Canada-wide quitline and web address on cigarette and little cigar packages that  link them to provincial and territorial cessation support services. For those looking for support in their attempts to quit, I urge you to take advantage of these telephone and web-based counselling services. 

While smoking continues to be the leading cause of lung cancer, research by Health Canada estimates that 16 per cent of lung cancer deaths among Canadians are from indoor radon exposure, making radon gas the second leading cause of lung cancer after tobacco smoking. The good news is that it is easy to reduce the risk.

Radon is a naturally occurring radioactive gas in the ground that people can't  see, smell or taste. It can get into homes or buildings undetected through cracks in the foundation or gaps around pipes.

During the month of November, Health Canada will be encouraging all Canadians to conduct a simple and inexpensive test to measure radon levels in their home and to take steps to reduce exposure, if necessary. Health Canada recommends testing for a minimum of three months starting in the fall, when windows and doors typically remain closed. For more information about radon gas and how to reduce your exposure, please visit the Health Canada website.

As Minister of Health, I want to thank the many volunteers who assist in the fight against this disease. And for those who are battling cancer, and their families, we will continue to support you and to make the investments that will one day, hopefully, make cancer a thing of the past.

I encourage all Canadians to take some time this month to learn more about lung cancer and to take action to decrease their risk of developing this disease.

Leona Aglukkaq
Minister of Health
Government of Canada