Objective: To provide up-to-date information and analyse recent changes in lung cancer mortality trends among women.
Design: The present study analysed subjects by geographical area in Spain during the period 1980-2005 using joinpoint regression models. Age-standardised mortality rates (ASR) for lung cancer were computed from death certificate data obtained from the official authorities in Spain. Joinpoint regression analysis was used to identify the years when significant changes in the linear slope of the temporal trend occurred.
Results: The overall ASR changed during the period studied from 5.7 per 100,000 women in 1980 to 8.2/100,000 in 2005, with an average annual increase of 1.7%. Joinpoint regression analysis detected different trends in most Spanish communities. These changes occurred in the late 1980s or early 1990s. ASR among those women aged 35-64 years doubled during the period of study, from 5.6 in 1980 to 11.3 in 2005.
Conclusions: Time trends in lung cancer mortality among women are increasing sharply, especially in the age group 35-64 years, indicating the start of an epidemic phenomenon of lung cancer in women.