The trend reflects declines mainly in women aged 64 or younger. Researchers link the changing trends to historical smoking patterns, with earlier uptake and cessation in some countries influencing mortality.

Credits: Pexels; Author: @tara-winstead;

In the UK, female lung cancer death rates are predicted to fall by about 13.4 percent compared with 2020–2022. Lung cancer remains the leading cause of cancer death in the EU, and overall cancer death rates may still rise due to population ageing even as age-standardised rates stabilise.