Lung cancer--differences of incidence between the sexes

During the last decade increasing incidence of lung cancer among women have been observed in Poland. The aim of the study was to demonstrate differences among men and women with lung cancer. Lung cancer was diagnosed in 785 female and 4619 male in 1995 in Pulmonary Outpatients Departments. Women were younger than man when all histologic types of lung cancer were analysed (59.7 vs 61.9 years p. < 0.001). Particularly younger subjects were those with adenocarcinoma and small cell lung cancer (56.9 and 57.4 years for women and for men respectively 60.2 and 59.6 years, p < 0.001). Although squamous lung cancer was the most prevalent histological type among men (43.7%) and women (24.7%), about two times higher percentage of men had this neoplasm (p. < 0.001). Adenocarcinoma (18% vs 6.6%, p. < 0.001) and small cell lung cancer (18.5% vs 15.5% p. < 0.001) were prevalent in significantly higher percentage among female than male. Nonsmokers were more frequently noticed among women then men (20.4% vs. 1.9%, p. < 0.001), particularly those with adenocarcinoma. Also women smoked less intensively (33.6 pack/years vs. 42.3 pack/years, p < 0.001) except those with squamous cancer. The higher incidence of cancer was observed among mothers (7% vs 3.8% p. < 0.001) and fathers (7.1% vs 5.6%, p. < 0.001) of women than men with lung cancer.