Update in lung cancer and oncological disorders 2010.

Lung cancer remains the leading cause of cancer mortality in the world, with 157,000 deaths expected in the United States in 2010 (1). Despite the large death toll, there are reasons to be cautiously optimistic for a future with fewer lung cancer deaths. First, incidence and death rates are declining in U.S. men and are plateauing in women, following trends of declining smoking prevalence rates over the past 30 years (2). Second, recent studies of lung cancer screening, staging, drug development, and molecular diagnostics have demonstrated important advances that promise to decrease death rates over time (3). Third, epidemiological and bench science research have provided important insights into lung cancer susceptibility and pathogenesis. Recent advances in clinical and bench science directed toward diagnostics and therapy have had significant and often dramatic impacts on patient outcomes. These developments suggest that smoking prevention, chest computed tomography (CT) screening, and personalized approaches to treating lung cancer will significantly reduce lung cancer mortality. In this update, we present recent research findings and highlight future directions for lung cancer research and therapy.