How common is lung cancer?
Lung cancer is responsible for the most cancer deaths in both men and women throughout the world. The American Cancer Society estimates that 215,020 new cases of lung cancer in the U.S. will be diagnosed and 161,840 deaths due to lung cancer will occur in 2008. According to the U.S. National Cancer Institute, approximately one out of every 14 men and women in the U.S. will be diagnosed with cancer of the lung or airways at some point in their lifetime. Lung cancer is predominantly a disease of the elderly; almost 70% of people diagnosed with the condition are over 65 years of age, while less than 3% of cases occur in people under age 45. Lung cancer was not common prior to the 1930s but increased dramatically over the following decades as tobacco smoking increased. In many developing countries, the incidence of lung cancer is beginning to fall following public education about the dangers of cigarette smoking and effective smoking-cessation programs. Nevertheless, lung cancer remains am
