Lung Cancer
There are four main classifications of lung cancer: squamous cell carcinomas, adenocarcinomas, small cell carcinoma and large cell carcinoma. Because the behaviour and management of squamous cell carcinoma, adenocarcinoma and large cell carcinoma are very similar, they are often grouped together as non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) in contrast to small cell lung cancer (SCLC), which has a distinct natural history and management.
Over the last 20 years, lung cancer incidence and mortality rates have decreased slightly. However, this is due to a large decline in lung cancer in males – the incidence rate of lung cancer in Australia females has increased by 50% and the mortality rate by more than 30%.
In 2004, lung cancer was the fifth most common cancer in Australia, accounting for 9.2% of all new cancer cases.
In 2005, lung cancer was the leading cause of cancer deaths, responsible for 19.1% of all cancer deaths (7399 deaths).