The peak incidence of lung cancer occurs between the ages of 55 and 65 years. On top of this the overall incidence is increasing, doubling approximately every 15 years. The antismoking efforts started 15 to 20 years ago seem to have resulted in a levelling of the incidence in males. Unfortunately, the increasing incidence of smoking among women is showing itself as an increasing incidence of lung cancer. These survival rates haven't changed much over the past 20 years in spite of new types of treatment.
Lung cancer is caused by cigarette smoking.
This is one of the few cases where the main cause of a disease can be so clearly shown. A person smoking 2 packs per day for 20 years has 60 to 70 times the risk of dying of lung cancer than the non-smoker. The chances of developing lung cancer decrease if you give up smoking, but may never return to the levels of someone who has never smoked. The increase in incidence of lung cancer among women is directly related to the rising numbers of women smoking. Any carcinogenic effects of industrial pollutants and the natural background radiation are compounded by smoking.