Women diagnosed with lung cancer at higher rate than men, study says

(CNN) - New research shows more young and middle-aged women are being diagnosed with lung cancer at a higher rate than men, and scientists are struggling to understand why.

The research, published this week in the journal Jama Oncology, included people diagnosed with lung cancer between 2000 and 2019.

It found women ages 35 to 54 had been diagnosed with lung cancer at a higher rate than similarly aged men.

A lack of understanding about what is driving the gender trend in lung cancer is in part fueling a push for more funding to study these differences.

The hope is to identify the drivers, so public health leaders could target those particular issues.

Researchers said they hope studies showing gender disparities in lung cancer will make health care providers aware of how this disease affects women so they can know to watch for it.

Aside from smoking, other risk factors for lung cancer include family history, exposure to secondhand smoke, radon, asbestos, pollution and arsenic in drinking water.