Is there a common etiology for the rising incidence of and decreasing survival with adenocarcinoma of the lung?

We studied possible explanations for the deteriorating survival for adenoca rcinoma of the lung between 1975 and 1994 in relation with trends in incide nce. The proportion of adenocarcinoma among men has been increasing since 1 975 and for those born after 1920, while survival has decreased since 1975 and for those born since 1930, Among women, both the proportion of adenocar cinoma and survival have remained more or less constant. The rising inciden ce and the decreasing survival may both be related to changes in tobacco us e, the increased use of low-tar filter cigarettes since the 1960s being the most likely candidate.