Sex disparities in lung cancer incidence: validation of a long-observed trend

Lung cancer remains one of the most common causes of cancer and cancer deaths worldwide (1). Over the past decade, intensive smoking cessation programs have led to reductions in tobacco use and, consequently, significant declines in incidence rates and deaths attributable to lung cancer in the United States (2). However, lung cancer incidence rates have not decreased as much as expected, and increasing evidence shows variations in rates of decline by sex and race/ethnicity.