Title: Which Countries Have the Highest Rate of Lung Cancer?
Headings: Which Countries Have the Highest Rate of Lung Cancer?
Which Countries Have the Highest Rate of Lung Cancer?
Latest Data from the Global Burden of Disease Study
Key Factors
Lung Cancer Incidence
Smoking Prevalence
Outdoor Pollution
Indoor Pollution
Limitations
Hungary
Serbia
Greece
Montenegro
Belgium
Turkey
Denmark
Poland
Bosnia-Herzogovenia
France
Samoa
China
United States
Macedonia
Germany
Ireland
Netherlands
Slovenia
Croatia
United Kingdom and Northern Ireland

Content: However, in countries like China, where the rate of smoking in men is 22 times that of women, the incidence of lung cancer in men is only twice that of women. This suggests that other factors like poverty, lack of healthcare, secondhand smoking, and air pollution can also influence the incidence of lung cancer from one country to the next. Why Is Lung Cancer Increasing in Never-Smokers? Outdoor Pollution
Air pollution is a major contributor to the development of lung cancer. These include diesel engine exhaust, solvents, metals, and dust that the International Agency for Research on Cancer has classified as carcinogenic (cancer-causing). 4 ﻿
Air pollution is measured in values known as particulate matter 2.5 (PM2.5) and described in micrograms per metric cube (μg/m3). PM2.5 describes airborne particles of 2.5 micrometers in diameter or less that are able to get deep into the lungs. Higher values translate to worse air pollution. The PM2.5 value for China is approximately eight times that of the United States and may account for why rates of lung cancer are high in Chinese women and men irrespective of their smoking history. 2 ﻿
Indoor Pollution
According to the WHO, around 17% of lung cancers worldwide can be attributed to inhaled carcinogens caused by cooking or heating with kerosene or solid fuels like wood, coal, or charcoal.