Doctors are becoming aware just how susceptible women are to lung disease, and a new report from the National Women's Health Resource Center shows how an early diagnosis can save lives.

The growing number of women who have taken up smoking since World War II has dramatically changed the types of lung diseases doctors now diagnose in women. For example, chronic obstructive pulmonary disorder was considered a disease of men for decades but has now become the fourth-leading cause of death in women.

While the disorder is not curable, it is treatable. Some of the damage can be reversed, greatly improving a person's quality of life. Simply quitting smoking is the first step. This can keep lung function from getting worse.

Early screening makes a big difference because by the time symptoms are noticed, many patients have lost half their lung function.

Lung cancer is another disease on the rise in women. It's now the leading cause of cancer death in women, with deaths rising steadily in the last 20 years.

Lung cancer is the deadliest cancer around because it's more difficult to treat, more invasive and the majority of cases are found in the very late stages. If found at the earliest stage, the five-year survival rate is more than 50 percent.

About 20 percent of women cer, disorders

who develop lung cancer never smoked, compared to less than 10 percent of men. This may be due to exposure to secondhand smoke, and hormones may also

play a part.

Quitting smoking is essential for keeping lungs healthy, yet it can be hard to quit since nicotine is one of the most addictive drugs

around. Here are

some quitting tips:

+Tell a healthcare professional and or dentist.

+Remember the benefits. Smokers who quit before the age of 50 have half the risk of dying in the next 16 years.

+Don't go it alone. Use nicotine replacement products if needed or talk to a doctor about bupropion, an antidepressant approved to treat nicotine addiction.

+Cut some slack. Many smokers need two to three attempts at quitting before it sticks. +Plan a quit strategy.

+Set rewards.

+Exercise to boost metabolism, which is what nicotine does.

For more information, visit www.healthywomen.org.

This story is provided by North American Precis Syndicate Inc.