Lung cancer is now the leading cancer killer in women.
Lung cancer has always been and continues to be more common in men than women. However, the rate of lung cancer death in men has been declining since 1990, and the rate continues to rise in women. There are probably many reasons for this situation. One study has suggested that female hormones like estrogen may play a role in the development of lung cancer in women. Women tend to get a certain subtype of lung cancer that may be linked to estrogen.