Timeline of lung cancer

This is a timeline of lung cancer, describing especially major discoveries, advances in treatment and major organizations.

Big picture

Year/period	Key developments
19th century	Lung cancer is very uncommon before the 20th century. Malignant lung tumors make up only AbOUT 1% of all cancers on records.
1900s	Lung cancer incidence start to rise early in the 20th century, though very few cases are reported in the medical literature.
1930s onward	Lung cancer rates start to increase exponentially (peak at 100/100,000 for men in the late 1980s and currently a plateau at 55/100,000 for women) as a consequence massive consumption of cigarettes worldwide. Rates in never smokers remain stable (~10 to 20/100,000).
1960s onward	Rates of adenocarcinoma of the lung start to rise relative to other types of lung cancer, partly due to the introduction of cigarette filters.
1970s	Successful chemotherapy regimens are developed for lung cancer.
1990s	Several new chemotherapy drugs for non-small cell lung cancer are developed, including paclitaxel, docetaxel, vinorelbine and gemcitabine.
2000s onward	Today, lung cancer is a top cause of death among both men and women at a worldwide level, and ranks high in both incidence and mortality. Smoking is still considered to be the principal cause of lung cancer.

Full timeline

Year/period	Type of event	Event	Location
1761	Discovery	Lung cancer is first recognized as a disease.
1810	Development	Different aspects of lung cancer are described.
1870–1879	Crisis	Miners working at mines rich in radon gas, are found to develop a disproportionate amount of lung disease, eventually recognized as lung cancer.	Germany
1899–1911	Report	Diagnosing lung cancer in living patients are rare. Cases identified in autopsies are very uncommon (i.e., fewer than 1/1000).
1929	Discovery	German physician Fritz Lickint publishes a paper showing that lung cancer patients are particularly likely to be smokers.
1933	Treatment	The first successful pneumonectomy for lung cancer is performed.
1933	Organization	The Union for International Cancer Control is founded as an NGO. Its purpose is to help the global health community accelerate the fight against cancer.	Geneva, Switzerland (Serves worldwide)
1958	Treatment	Fluorouracil is developed as a chemotherapy [...] for treating many cancers, including lung cancer.
1959–1972	Study	Cancer Prevention Study I begins. 1 million men and women are recruited. The study will demonstrate that sharp increase in lung cancer death rates is related to cigarette smoking	United States
1960–1969	Discovery	Radon is confirmed to be a cause of lung cancer.
1964		The Surgeon General of the United States recommends the population not to smoke.	United States
1965	Organization	The International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) is founded as an intergovernmental agency forming part of the World Health Organization of the United Nations. Its role is to conduct and coordinate research into the causes of cancer.	Lyon, France
1969	Report	New edition of a handbook changes radically from the previous one. The role of cigarette smoking is described in detail. Air pollution is mentioned. Difference in incidence between urban and rural areas is acknowledged.
1986	Discovery	Passive smoking is formally declared a carcinogen by the International Agency for Research on Cancer. A number of cities around the world start to ban indoor smoking in the years that follow.
1987	Discovery	Researchers discover that epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) plays an important role in the growth and spread of non-small-cell lung carcinoma.
1990–1992	Treatment	Two studies show that combining chemotherapy and radiation prolongs survival for non-small cell lung cancer. This treatment approach soon becomes standard.
1993	Treatment	Researchers demonstrate simultaneous radiation and chemotherapy dramatically improves the effectiveness of treatment for patients with early-stage small-cell carcinoma, compared to starting radiation later in the course of treatment.
1995	Treatment	An analysis of data from more than 50 clinical trials affirms benefits of chemotherapy for advanced non-small-cell lung carcinoma, concluding that cisplatin chemotherapy, along with surgery, radiation therapy or supportive care, substantially extends survival.
1995	Organization	Lung Cancer Alliance is founded as an NGO. Its stated purpose is to promote lung cancer awareness, reduce lung cancer mortality and end the stigma associated with lung cancer.	Washington D.C., United States
1996	Treatment	Topotecan is approved as second round of treatment for small-cell lung carcinoma.
1999	Discovery	Cranial radiation is found to reduce risk of small-cell carcinoma spreading to the brain.
1999	Discovery	Study finds that twice-daily radiation to the chest, together with chemotherapy, prolongs survival against small cell lung carcinoma, compared with once-daily radiation and chemotherapy.
2000	Discovery	The Iowa Radon Lung Cancer Study demonstrates that household radon exposure is associated with increased risk of lung cancer.	United States
2001	Organization	The Global Lung Cancer Coalition (GLCC) is established. GLCC aims to address the following issues: aims to address the following issues: placing lung cancer on the global healthcare agenda, changing public perceptions and lessen the stigma of lung cancer, empowering lung cancer patients to take an active role in their care, having impact in legislative or regulatory policies to optimize treatment and care.	It comprises 28 non-government patient organizations from Argentina, Australia, Bulgaria, Canada, Denmark, Egypt, France, Germany, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, Mexico, Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Russia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, United Kingdom and United States
2003	Treatment	FDA approves gefitinib for first-line treatment of patients with metastatic non-small-cell lung carcinoma.	United States
2005	Policy	Bhutan becomes the first country to impose nationwide ban on the sale of tobacco products.	Bhutan
2006	Organization	Women Against Lung Cancer in Europe is founded as nonprofit organization, with aims at supporting and helping lung cancer patients and their families and circulating accurate, correct and updated information about the disease in terms of prevention, diagnosis and therapy.	Italy (active at national and international level)
2007	Organization	Lung Cancer Foundation of America (LCFA) is established with aims at improving survival against lung cancer through the funding on research.	Marina Del Rey, California, United States
2008	Policy	Indian government bans smoking in public.	India
2010	Organization	Lungevity Foundation is established as a nonprofit organization. It funds research into early detection and treatment of lung cancer.	United States
2010	Organization	Global Resource For Advancing Cancer Education (GRACE) is founded. Its purpose is to provide expert-mediated information on current and emerging cancer management options in order to empower patients, caregivers, and health professionals to become direct partners in cancer care.	Seattle, Washington, United States
2012	Report	According to the US National Lung Association, deaths due to lung cancer increase by about 3.5% in the period 1999–2012.
2013		The International Agency for Research on Cancer classifies air pollutants as leading causes of lung cancer.	Lyon, France
2015	Report	Lung cancer surpasses breast cancer as the leading cause of cancer deaths for women in rich countries.
2016	Discovery	Scientists discover [...] combination that slows cell growth in a type of non small cell lung cancer, using trametinib and AZD2014.	The Institute of Cancer Research, London, UK

Adenocarcinoma of the lungArgentinaAustraliaAutopsyAZD2014BhutanBreast cancerBulgariaCaliforniaCanadaCancer Prevention Study IChemotherapyCigarette filterCisplatinDenmarkDocetaxelEgyptEpidermal growth factor receptorFDAFluorouracilFranceFritz LickintGefitinibGemcitabineGenevaGermanyGlobal Lung Cancer CoalitionGlobal Resource For Advancing Cancer EducationHealthcareIncidence (epidemiology)IndiaIndian governmentInternational Agency for Research on CancerIrelandIsraelItalyJapanLondonLung cancerLung Cancer AllianceLung Cancer Foundation of AmericaLungevity FoundationLyonMarina Del ReyMexicoNational Lung AssociationNetherlandsNGONon-small-cell lung carcinomaNonprofit organizationNorwayPaclitaxelPassive smokingPneumonectomyPortugalRadiation therapyRadonRussiaSeattleSloveniaSmall cell lung carcinomaSmall-cell carcinomaSmall-cell lung carcinomaSpainSurgeon General of the United StatesSurgerySwedenSwitzerlandThe Institute of Cancer ResearchTimeline of bladder cancerTimeline of brain cancerTimeline of cervical cancerTimeline of colorectal cancerTimeline of kidney cancerTimeline of leukemiaTimeline of liver cancerTimeline of lymphomaTimeline of pancreatic cancerTopotecanTrametinibTurkeyUKUnion for International Cancer ControlUnited KingdomUnited NationsUnited StatesVinorelbineWashington (state)Washington D.C.Women Against Lung Cancer in EuropeWorld Health Organization

External links (18)

http://cancerprogress.net/timeline/lung-cancer

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