Skip to main content
NCBI home page
Thorax logoLink to Thorax
. 1976 Jun;31(3):254–264. doi: 10.1136/thx.31.3.254

Cancer of the lung in women.

H R Harley
PMCID: PMC470413  PMID: 181863

Abstract

A study from Wales of 132 women with cancer of the lung admitted consecutively during the five years 1964-68, and of 13 other women submitted to surgery at an earlier period, showed that the prognosis for women was worse than for men. Every woman except one was followed up for more than five years. Of the 132 women in the consecutive series only five survived for five years, while the five-year survival rate after resection in 35 women was less than one-half of that of men. The cause of the worse prognosis for women in Wales appears to be due to some sex-linked factor. It cannot be explained by the age of the patient or by the histology, location, early or resectability of the growth. The prognosis of cancer of the lung in English, French, and American women is considered. The relative incidence of the disease in women and men is discussed. Sex and nationality appear to be of importance, but the influence of tobacco and other atmospheric carcinogens is obscure.

Full text

PDF
254

Selected References

These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.

  1. Ashley D. J., Davies H. D. Lung cancer in women. Thorax. 1969 Jul;24(4):446–450. doi: 10.1136/thx.24.4.446. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  2. BELCHER J. R., ANDERSON R. SURGICAL TREATMENT OF CARCINOMA OF THE BRONCHUS. Br Med J. 1965 Apr 10;1(5440):948–954. doi: 10.1136/bmj.1.5440.948. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  3. BROSS I. J., CORNFIELD J., O'DONNELL W. E., WYNDER E. L. Lung cancer in women; a study of environmental factors. N Engl J Med. 1956 Dec 13;255(24):1111–1121. doi: 10.1056/NEJM195612132552401. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  4. BRYCE A. G., FOX M., NICHOLSON W. F. Review of 910 cases of bronchial carcinoma with results of treatment. Lancet. 1957 Feb 9;272(6963):296–298. doi: 10.1016/s0140-6736(57)90360-4. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  5. Beamis J. F., Jr, Stein A., Andrews J. L., Jr Changing epidemiology of lung cancer. Increasing incidence in women. Med Clin North Am. 1975 Mar;59(2):315–325. doi: 10.1016/s0025-7125(16)32034-x. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  6. Belcher J. R. World-wide differences in the sex ratio of bronchial carcinoma. Br J Dis Chest. 1971 Oct;65(4):205–221. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  7. Bignall J. R., Martin M. Survival experience of women with bronchial carcinoma. Lancet. 1972 Jul 8;2(7767):60–62. doi: 10.1016/s0140-6736(72)91551-6. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  8. Burbank F. U.S. lung cancer death rates begin to rise proportionately more rapidly for females than for males: a dose-response effect? J Chronic Dis. 1972 Aug;25(8):473–479. doi: 10.1016/0021-9681(72)90211-1. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  9. CHRISTIANSEN T. Primary epithelial lung tumours in autopsy material at Rikshospitalet, 1925-52. Br J Cancer. 1953 Dec;7(4):428–430. doi: 10.1038/bjc.1953.42. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  10. Connelly R. R., Cutler S. J., Baylis P. End results in cancer of the lung: comparison of male and female patients. J Natl Cancer Inst. 1966 Feb;36(2):277–287. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  11. DOLL R., HILL A. B., KREYBERG L. The significance of cell type in relation to the aetiology of lung cancer. Br J Cancer. 1957 Mar;11(1):43–48. doi: 10.1038/bjc.1957.6. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  12. Deaner R. M., Trummer M. J. Carcinoma of the lung in women. J Thorac Cardiovasc Surg. 1970 Apr;59(4):551–554. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  13. EDERER F., MERSHEIMER W. L. Sex differences in the survival of lung cancer patients. Cancer. 1962 Mar-Apr;15:425–432. doi: 10.1002/1097-0142(196203/04)15:2<425::aid-cncr2820150227>3.0.co;2-#. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  14. GOLDMAN K. P. HISTOLOGY OF LUNG CANCER IN RELATION TO PROGNOSIS. Thorax. 1965 Jul;20:298–302. doi: 10.1136/thx.20.4.298. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  15. Gentleman J. F., Forbes W. F. Cancer mortality for males and females and its relation to cigarette smoking. J Gerontol. 1974 Sep;29(5):518–533. doi: 10.1093/geronj/29.5.518. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  16. HAENSZEL W., SHIMKIN M. B., MANTEL N. A retrospective study of lung cancer in women. J Natl Cancer Inst. 1958 Nov;21(5):825–842. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  17. HANBURY W. J. BRONCHOGENIC CARCINOMA IN WOMEN. Thorax. 1964 Jul;19:338–342. doi: 10.1136/thx.19.4.338. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  18. JAKOBSEN A. Primary epithelial lung tumours in post-mortem material from Ullevaal Hospital (Oslo City Hospital). Br J Cancer. 1953 Dec;7(4):423–427. doi: 10.1038/bjc.1953.41. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  19. Jackman R. J., Good C. A., Clagett O. T., Woolner L. B. Survival rates in peripheral bronchogenic carcinomas up to four centimeters in diameter presenting as solitary pulmonary nodules. J Thorac Cardiovasc Surg. 1969 Jan;57(1):1–8. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  20. KREYBERG L. Lung tumours: histology, aetiology and geographic pathology. Acta Unio Int Contra Cancrum. 1959;15(1):78–95. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  21. KREYBERG L., SAXEN E. A comparison of lung tumour types in Finland and Norway. Br J Cancer. 1961 Jun;15:211–214. doi: 10.1038/bjc.1961.26. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  22. Kennedy A. Relationship between cigarette smoking and histological type of lung cancer in women. Thorax. 1973 Mar;28(2):204–208. doi: 10.1136/thx.28.2.204. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  23. Le Roux B. T. The influence of predominant cell type on the management and prognosis of bronchial carcinoma. Scott Med J. 1968 Mar;13(3):84–94. doi: 10.1177/003693306801300305. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  24. Lemoine J. M., Fauvet J. Les tumeurs bronchiques malignes des femmes. Bronches. 1974 May-Jun;24(3):162–174. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  25. MEYER A., BERLINERBLAU R. REMARQUES SUR LE CANCER BRONCHO-PLEURO-PULMONAIRE CHEZ LA FEMME ('A PROPOS DE 140 CAS) Poumon Coeur. 1964;20:805–828. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  26. Merlier M., Goux J. P., Hummel J. 89 cancers bronchopulmonaires opérés chez la femme. Poumon Coeur. 1969;25(5):455–467. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  27. VINCENT T. N., SATTERFIELD J. V., ACKERMAN L. V. CARCINOMA OF THE LUNG IN WOMEN. Cancer. 1965 May;18:559–570. doi: 10.1002/1097-0142(196505)18:5<559::aid-cncr2820180505>3.0.co;2-z. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  28. Wynder E. L., Covey L. S., Mabuchi K. Lung cancer in women: present and future trends. J Natl Cancer Inst. 1973 Aug;51(2):391–401. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  29. Wynder E. L., Mabuchi K., Beattie E. J., Jr The epidemiology of lung cancer. Recent trends. JAMA. 1970 Sep 28;213(13):2221–2228. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]

Articles from Thorax are provided here courtesy of BMJ Publishing Group

RESOURCES