From the Guidelines
Lung cancer is the most common cause of cancer-related death in females, making option E the correct answer. This is based on the evidence from the study published in the Annals of Oncology in 2018 1, which states that lung cancer was the leading cause of cancer death in more developed countries and the second leading cause of cancer death in less developed countries among females. Some key points to consider include:
- The highest incidence of lung cancer is found in Central/Eastern Europe and Asia, with age-standardised incidence rates of 53.5 and 50.4 per 100 000, respectively 1.
- European projections indicate a rise of 5.1% and an incidence of 14.6/100 000 in females, with the death rate in females increasing in Europe, contrary to the United States 1.
- The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that lung cancer is the cause of 1.59 million deaths globally per year, with 71% of them caused by smoking 1.
- Smoking prevention and smoking cessation can lead to a reduction in a large fraction of lung cancers, and in countries with active tobacco control measures, the incidence of lung cancer has begun to decline in men and is reaching a plateau for women 1. It's worth noting that while breast cancer is more frequently diagnosed in women, lung cancer claims more female lives annually due to its aggressive nature and late diagnosis, highlighting the importance of early detection and smoking cessation in reducing lung cancer mortality in women.
From the Research
Cancer-Related Death in Females
- The most common cause of cancer-related death in females is lung cancer, as stated in several studies 2, 3, 4, 5.
- According to the study published in 2015, lung cancer remains the leading cause of cancer mortality in men and women in the U.S. and worldwide 2.
- A 2018 study reported that in 2015,104,992 new cases of lung cancer and 70,073 lung cancer deaths were reported among women in the United States, making it the leading cause of cancer death among women 3.
- Another study published in 2022 also confirmed that lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer-related death in the United States and worldwide 4.
- Additionally, a 2021 study estimated that lung cancer accounted for an estimated 1.8 million deaths worldwide, making it the leading cause of cancer death 5, 6.
- However, it's worth noting that female breast cancer has surpassed lung cancer as the most commonly diagnosed cancer, with an estimated 2.3 million new cases in 2020 6.