Why has lung cancer decreased since 1995?

The decline in lung cancer incidence and mortality rates over the past few decades is the result of several factors, most notably the decline in smoking rates. Since 1965, the percentage of adults smoking has decreased by more than half, going from 42% to 17% in 2019. Cigarette smoking is by far the leading cause of preventable death, and is the cause of more than 80% of lung cancers.

Other factors contributing to the decline in lung cancer rates include:

- Public health campaigns to warn of the dangers of smoking and encourage cessation

- Improved early detection and screening methods such as low-dose computed tomography (LDCT) scans

- Increased access to smoking cessation resources and treatments

- Changes in the makeup of cigarettes themselves; for example, levels of tar and nicotine in cigarettes have decreased over time

Despite the progress that has been made, lung cancer remains the leading cause of cancer death in the United States. It is essential that efforts to reduce smoking rates and increase access to early detection and smoking cessation resources continue in order to further reduce the incidence of this deadly disease.