Lung cancer ist he third most frequent cancer of men and women in Germany. With 34,000 new cases every year, around 14 % of all malignant neoplasia in men is due to lung cancer. In women, with 15,600 new cases every year lung cancer is responsible for 7 % of the total cancer incidence. The trend is declining among men, whereas among women, the diseases are increasing continuously. With 68 years in women and 69 years in men, the medium age at onset of disease in lung cancer is approximately the same as in all cancer types in total. The main risk factor for lung cancer is known for a long time: In men, up to 90 % , and in women up to 60 %, of all cases can be traced back to smoking. In former smokers, the potential for danger to fall ill of lung cancer, with increasing distance of time to quitting smoking. Although smoking is the main cause for lung cancer, many people who never smoked fall ill of it. So, for example 40 % of all female lung cancer patients are non-smokers. Also passive smoking is to be considered a risk factor. Every year, 400 non-smokers die from lung cancer due to passive smoking. Other risk factors that favour a lung cancer disease are a high burden of radon in living houses and the contact with asbestos or other contaminants like particulate matter or coal combustion products. Effects that result from the interaction of contaminants and smoking have been proven. The preventive consume of fruits and vegetables has a protective effect – even in smokers. However, this cannot even the increased risk, that smokers are exposing themselves to.
Source: Krebs in Deutschland 2007/2008, 8. Auflage, Robert Koch-Institut [Hrsg.], 2012More info here