According to the American Cancer Society, lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer death for both men and women. During the year 2000 there will be about 164,100 new cases of lung cancer in this country, accounting for 14% of cancer diagnoses.

The incidence rate is declining significantly in men, from a high of 86.5 per 100,000 in 1984 to 70.0 in 1996. In the 1990s, the rate of increase among women began to slow. In 1996, the incidence rate in women was 42.3 per 100,000.

An estimated 156,900 deaths will occur in 2000, accounting for 28% of all cancer deaths. During 1992–1996, mortality from lung cancer declined significantly among men (-1.7% per year) while rates for women were still significantly increasing (0.9% per year). Since 1987, more women have died each year of lung cancer than breast cancer, which, for over 40 years, was the major cause of cancer death in women.

Decreasing lung cancer incidence and mortality rates most likely result from decreased smoking rates over the previous 30 years. However, decreasing smoking patterns among women lag behind those of men. Of concern, the declines in adult tobacco use have slowed, and tobacco use in youth is increasing again.

More people die of lung cancer than of colon, breast, and prostate cancers combined. Lung cancer is fairly rare in people under the age of 40. The average age of people found to have lung cancer is 60.

If lung cancer is found and treated by surgery early, before it has spread to lymph nodes or other organs, the five-year survival rate is about 42%. However, few lung cancers are found at this early stage.

The five-year relative survival rate for all stages combined is only 14%. The survival rate is 49% for cases detected when the disease is still localized, but only 15% of lung cancers are discovered that early.