Gender in lung cancer and smoking research
Gender and health research series
OVERVIEW
This document reviews the need for a gender-sensitive approach to lung cancer research. Lung cancer is a major cause of premature and avoidable mortality around the world, and although in more developed countries mortality rates are beginning to decrease, especially in men, the number of deaths from lung cancer in less developed countries is steadily increasing. While historically more men than women have died from lung cancer as a result of higher levels of smoking, the male:female mortality ratio is now showing signs of narrowing.