Lung Cancer Facts and Figures

Incidence

• In 2004, lung cancer was the second most common cancer in men after prostate cancer. It accounted for 15% of all new cancer cases in men. The Age Standardized Incidence Rate (ASIR) was 70.4 per 100,000 men.
• In 2004, lung cancer was the second most common cancer in women after breast cancer. It accounted for 13% of all new cancer cases in women. The ASIR was 45.5 per 100,000 women.
• Lung cancer is rarely diagnosed in people younger than 40. Incidence rises steeply after 40 years of age, peaking in people aged 75-84 years. Most cases of lung cancer (80%) occur in people over the age of 60.

Age standardized incidence rates for lung cancer, Canada, 1972-2004

• From 1972 to 1983 the ASIR for lung cancer increased among men by approximately 3.7% per year. However, since 1984, the ASIR has been decreasing significantly among men by 0.5% to 2.5% per year.
• In contrast, the ASIR among women increased rapidly from 1972 to 1993. The increase was approximately 7.9% per year during the period 1972-1984 and 3.7% per year from 1984 to1993. Lung cancer incidence in women is approaching a plateau after continuously increasing for several decades. The ASIR rose 1.2% per year after 1993.

Mortality

• Lung cancer has an enormous impact on Canadian mortality and currently accounts for 8% of all deaths and 26% of all deaths from cancer. Lung cancer is the most common cause of death from cancer for both men and women (29% in men and 24% in women).
• Since 1993 more women have died each year from lung cancer than from breast cancer.
• After a long period of increase for male lung cancer mortality, the age standardized mortality rate (ASMR) has continued to decline significantly (about 2% per year) in men during the period 1991-2004.
• Female lung cancer ASMR is approaching a plateau after continuously increasing for several decades.
• These trends in lung cancer ASMR reflect the decrease in smoking in the Canadian population over the past 30 years.

Survival

• There was a small absolute change in age standardized five year relative survival ratios for lung cancer cases diagnosed in the past 15 years.
• Five year relative survival rates are approximately 13% for men and 18% for women.

* Data source is from the Canadian Cancer Registry Database (Orius system)