Why did lung cancer become much more common after the World Wars?

Prior to World War II, lung cancer was considered a relatively rare condition. The significant rise in its incidence following the war was initially attributed to improved diagnostic methods, but by 1956, it became evident that the increase was too substantial to be explained by detection alone.1

Epidemiological studies subsequently identified a strong causal link between long-term cigarette smoking and the risk of death from lung cancer. While men had established a history of heavy smoking earlier, women significantly increased their cigarette consumption during World War II, which explains the subsequent rise in lung cancer incidence among women starting in 1960.1

By 1964, the U.S. Surgeon General’s report concluded that cigarette smoking is causally related to lung cancer in men, a finding confirmed by numerous global studies. While other factors such as exposure to asbestos, radon, and arsenic also contribute to the disease, cigarette smoking remains the primary driver of the dramatic increase in lung cancer rates observed in the 20th century.1