The ineidence of lung cancer has been increased significantly during the past 50 years. Various factors play role in the etiology of lung cancer and the presence of strong relationship between cigarette smoking and lung cancer has been shownin various studies. In this study we aimed to evaluate our lung cancer patients with respect to smoking habits. The primary lung cancer cases diagnosed in our center between March 1994 and December 1995 were determined by review of pathology laboratory records. The rate of smoking among 1606lung cancer cases included in the study were 85%. When the smoking patterns of the cases were examined with respect to sex, smoking rate was found to be significantly higher in men (%90.4) compared to women (13. 7), (p<0001). When the smoking patterns of the cases were examined with respect to tumor type, the rate of smoking was significantly higher in small cell and squamous cell carcinoma cases (%90.8, %88.5) compared to adenocarcinoma cases (%72.5), (p<0.05). These results exhibit the importance of smoking in the etiology of lung carcinoma which is known to be multifactorial.
Keywords: Smoking, lung cancer