Women's Health Wednesday: Lung Cancer

ALBANY, N.Y. (WTEN) - About every five minutes, a woman in the U.S. is told that she has lung cancer according to the American Lung Association. 

The underlying cause of lung cancer is when the DNA within lung cells undergoes an abnormal change or mutation that makes the cells multiply.

According to Columbia University Irving Medical Center, mutations can be the result of various factors, although the most common for lung cells is smoke. However, the American Lung Association says 20% of women and men diagnosed, have never smoked a day in their life.

While lung cancer remains the leading cause of cancer deaths among Americans, survival rates have dramatically improved over the past 10 years. In this week's Women's Health Wednesday, Dr. Duncan Savage, MD from St. Peter's Hospital, shares his insight on treatment and advances within the medical community.