AI Summary
The article discusses the modern epidemic of lung cancer in women, highlighting the increasing rates of smoking globally as a major risk factor. The American Cancer Society National Lung Cancer Roundtable acknowledges the urgent need for research to understand the differences in risk, biology, and treatment outcomes in women. The focus is on summarizing existing evidence, identifying knowledge gaps, and proposing research topics to improve the quality of care for lung cancer in women. Despite lower exposures to carcinogens, women have disproportionately higher lung cancer rates, emphasizing the necessity for increased awareness and research in this area.
Abstract
Lung cancer in women is a modern epidemic and represents a global health crisis. Cigarette smoking remains the most important risk factor for lung cancer in all patients and, among women globally, rates of smoking continue to increase. Although some data exist supporting sex-based differences across the continuum of lung cancer, there is currently a dearth of research exploring the differences in risk, biology, and treatment outcomes in women. Consequently, the American Cancer Society National Lung Cancer Roundtable recognizes the urgent need to promote awareness and future research that will close the knowledge gaps regarding lung cancer in women. To this end, the American Cancer Society National Lung Cancer Roundtable Task Group on Lung Cancer in Women convened a summit undertaking the following to: (1) summarize existing evidence and identify knowledge gaps surrounding the epidemiology, risk factors, biologic differences, and outcomes of lung cancer in women; (2) develop and prioritize research topics and questions that address research gaps and advance knowledge to improve quality of care of lung cancer in women; and (3) propose strategies for future research.
Plain language summary
Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer mortality in women, and, despite comparatively lower exposures to occupational and environmental carcinogens compared with men, disproportionately higher lung cancer rates in women who ever smoked and women who never smoked call for increased awareness and research that will close the knowledge gaps regarding lung cancer in women.