More and more women are getting lung cancer according to figures from the Belgian cancer registry reported in daily Het Laatste Nieuws. Among men, the opposite is happening, as there the risk of lung cancer is decreasing. Oncologist Christel De Pooter sees a clear link with smoking, but science is also looking for other causes..
In 2024, some 80,000 Belgians were told they had cancer. That's a lot more than 20 years ago (just over 58,000). The increase is largely due to population growth and an ageing population in which a cancer diagnosis is more common.
When this is taken into account, individual cancer risks appear to change only slightly. Since 2004, cancer risks in women have increased by an average of 0.6 per cent annually. In men, we see a slight decrease of 0.1 per cent per year on average.
Behind these general trends there are large differences by cancer type. For instance, the risk of skin, liver and pancreatic cancer has increased in both women and men, while the risk of stomach, colon and ovarian cancer has fallen.
‘Clearly related to smoking’
One of the possible explanations for the rising number of cancer diagnoses in women is that more women smoke than 20 years ago.
According to radiotherapist-oncologist Christel De Pooter, the increase in lung cancer cases in women is clearly related to smoking among women. ‘Since there is a direct link between smoking and the incidence of lung cancer, you do indeed see an increase in the incidence of lung cancer in women.’
In men, De Pooter observes an opposite movement. ‘Fewer men are smoking. We are only now seeing the effect.’
Besides the number of lung cancers being clearly related to smoking behaviour, De Pooter also sees a clear increase in the incidence of lung cancer in women who do not smoke, mainly in women between 30 and 50 years old.
This is a specific type of lung cancer that ‘has different genetic and molecular characteristics’ than other types of lung cancer. The causes for this type of lung cancer are still under investigation.
According to De Pooter, there are several possible causes. Passive smoking may play a role, but also air pollution or genetics. ‘Hormonal research is also under way on the role of oestrogens - female hormones - in the development of lung cancer.’
Chances of survival rise
Fortunately, there is also good news. The chances of survival for people who are confronted with lung cancer are rising.
'If you discover lung cancer at an early stage, then in a very large percentage of cases we can talk about a cure. If lung cancer is detected at a later stage and you have the opportunity, and you are lucky enough to have certain molecular mutations present, then thanks to new therapies, we can provide a sustainable treatment too.'
So being there in time is the message. ‘Making people more aware and prevention are very important.’ But the most important advice De Pooter gives is: 'Don't smoke. Smoking remains the biggest factor in the development of lung cancer.'
The oncologist is concerned about the ‘increase in vaping in children’. 'Even in primary school, children come into contact with nicotine at an early age. This is very worrying. Nicotine and other addictive factors make them more likely to reach for that cigarette later on. And that, in turn, has a direct link with the development of lung cancer.'