Lung cancer survival better in women.

• Position: Lifespan - Brief article

Women with lung cancer are living longer than men, even when the disease is untreated, leading scientists to believe lung cancer in women has a different biologic behavior and natural history than in men.

"In patients with lung cancer receiving treatment, women have shown a better response to therapy, resulting in better survival rates," emphasizes Juan Wisnivesky, Mount Sinai School of Medicine, New York. "Yet, new data suggest that, even in untreated patients, women with lung cancer still live longer than men, despite the presence of other medical conditions or gender differences in life expectancy. This suggests that the progression of lung cancer has a biological basis, with the disease being more aggressive in men than women."

In treated patients, lung cancer specific five-year survival for women was 54% compared with 40% for men and women had a 30% decreased risk of death compared with men. Among untreated patients, women...