Lung Cancer in Women — Five Years Later, Situation Worse

Abstract

IN October 1977, Lewis and Lewis presented data in the Journal on the health status of women in the United States. They wondered whether the fuller participation of women in the work force would alter their health, leading them to "die like men" as they increasingly lived like them.¹ An accompanying editorial, entitled "Lung Cancer: Unwanted Equality for Women," pointed to the rapidly increasing death rates from lung cancer in women, predicted a continued rise in these rates if trends in smoking patterns in women persisted, and advocated more vigorous antismoking efforts, such as a ban on cigarette advertising.² What . . .