Latest advances and research in lung cancer

Lung cancer is the biggest killer worldwide among all cancers. In the United States, one third of male and one quarter of female cancer deaths are from lung cancer. In spite of continued research efforts, 5-year survival remains low, at around 15% in the United States and about 10% in Europe. The majority (85%) of cases of lung cancer in men are related to cigarette smoking, and while the proportion of tobacco related cases in women is lower (47%), female deaths from lung cancer are nevertheless catching up with male rates around the world. The 11th World Conference of the International Society for Lung Cancer was held July 3-6, 2005, in Barcelona, Spain, and brought together more than 5,000 delegates to discuss the latest developments and research in the field.