Smoking reduction does work: resulting alterations in the incidence and histological subtypes of lung cancer in New South Wales in the last 20 years.
BACKGROUND
There is irrefutable evidence of the association between lung cancer and smoking. The effects of public health campaigns to reduce population-smoking rates on the incidence and the histological distribution of lung cancer were examined.


METHODS
The data held in the New South Wales Cancer Registry from 1972 to 2001 was accessed.


RESULTS
The data revealed a decreasing incidence of lung cancer amongst males and a rate that continued to increase amongst females. Interestingly, there was also an effect on the histological distribution of lung cancers, with falling rates of small cell lung cancer and squamous cell cancer, both of which have a high association with smoking; and an increasing incidence of adenocarcinomas.


CONCLUSIONS
These trends reveal patterns seen worldwide. The increasing proportion of adenocarcinomas in particular may be related to the changing composition of cigarettes and filters.
Joshua
A M
AM
Department of Medical Oncology, Sydney Cancer Centre, Royal Prince Alfred Hospital, Camperdown, Sydney, Australia.
Boyer
M J
MJ
Subramanian
R
R
Clarke
S J
SJ
D018288:Carcinoma, Small Cell / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology; D008297:Male; D018307:Neoplasms, Squamous Cell / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology; D009517:New South Wales / Q000453:epidemiology; D012042:Registries / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D012907:Smoking / Q000009:adverse effects*; D013997:Time Factors