Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer death among women in the United States and the third most common cause of death for women overall. Smoking is the primary cause of lung cancer and accounts for approximately 90% of all lung cancer deaths. (1)
How many women die from lung cancer?
Because there are large gender differences in lung cancer death rates, and the Healthy People 2010 benchmark is not specific to women, the Report Card benchmark of 18.3 deaths per 100,000 women is based upon a modification of the Healthy People goal [Healthy People 2010 Objective 3-2], to make it more applicable to women (as described in the Methodology section).
Data Source: Lung Cancer Death Rate (per 100,000 population), 2002-2004
EXPLANATION:
Lung cancer includes malignant neoplasms of the trachea, bronchus, and lung. Lung cancer death rates for women are three-year averages and are per 100,000 estimated population. Death rates for all ages include deaths occurring at any age, and are age-adjusted to the U.S. 2000 standard population.
SOURCE:
National Center for Health Statistics, Health Data for All Ages: Adult Mortality by Age, available at http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/health_data_for_all_ages.htm.