Lung cancer incidence and mortality vary considerably across the EU

Patterns of lung cancer incidence and mortality follow the patterns of smoking prevalence in the population with a delay of about 20 years. Both incidence and mortality differ by gender and vary considerably among EU member states. Differences in lung cancer incidence and mortality among countries reflect the distinctive patterns of the WHO tobacco pandemic model. In Sweden, both are relatively low and stable. They are slowly declining in some North Western EU countries, such as the UK, Finland and the Netherlands. In several of the new EU member states the incidence and mortality rates for lung cancer are among the highest in Europe and, in some cases, still rising.