The number of new lung cancer cases in the U.S. dropped among men in 35 states and among women in 6 states between 1999 and 2008, according to a new report by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The decrease in women came after a decades-long upward trend.
The decrease in lung cancer cases corresponds closely with smoking patterns across the nation. In the west, where smoking prevalence is lower among men and women than in other regions, lung cancer incidence is decreasing faster. Studies show declines in lung cancer rates can be seen as soon as five years after smoking rates decline.