title: Epidemiology of lung cancer: a worldwide epidemic.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To examine patterns and trends in lung cancer and the risk factors associated with development of this disease.
  
  
  METHODS
  Epidemiologic studies, research studies, review articles, and government reports pertaining to epidemiology of lung cancer.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Epidemiological evidence documents that most lung cancer cases could be prevented. With 3 million persons worldwide dying annually from lung cancer attributable to smoking, cigarette smoking remains the number one target for public health action to reduce cancer risk in the general population.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  A useful resource for nurses is the descriptive epidemiology of lung cancer, a knowledge base that identifies who is at risk. Linking this risk information with knowledge of strategies for reducing these risks provides a basis for planning and implementing interventions to prevent lung cancer.
authors.affiliation: Kaiser Permanente Center for Health Research, Portland, OR, USA.
authors.forename: B G
authors.initials: BG
authors.lastname: Valanis
mesh_terms: D000397:Air Pollution / Q000009:adverse effects; D005260:Female; D014943:Global Health; D006801:Humans; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control; D008297:Male; D009747:Nutritional Physiological Phenomena; D011159:Population Surveillance; D011634:Public Health; D012307:Risk Factors; D012907:Smoking / Q000009:adverse effects; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology