Objectives: To determine lung cancer incidence in the province of Avila, Spain, in the year 2002 and compare it with incidences reported in 2 previous studies (for 1992-1993 and 1997).
Patients and methods: Patients diagnosed in 2002 were evaluated prospectively by the method used in the previous studies. The reference population was obtained from the municipal records for 2001.
Results: In 2002, 87 patients (74 men and 13 women) were diagnosed with lung cancer. The crude incidence rate was 53.09 cases per 100 000 population (men: 89.92/100 000; women: 15.93/100 000). Of these, 87.3% had been smokers. Squamous cell carcinomas were the most frequent type overall (38.1%) and in men (42.4%). Adenocarcinomas were the most frequent type in women (60%). The most frequent treatment was chemotherapy (35.6%). Between the 1992-1993 study and our 2002 study, significant increases were found in crude incidence rates of lung cancer and the use of chemotherapy, as well as significant decreases both in squamous cell carcinomas and the use of radiotherapy alone.
Conclusions: Between 1992 and 2002 the lung cancer incidence in men and women in the province of Avila increased significantly.