Incidence of lung cancer in Europe in 2022, by country and gender

In 2022, the incidence of lung cancer among men in Europe was highest in Hungary at 138.4 per 100,000, while Sweden had the lowest incidence. The incidence of lung cancer recorded among women in Denmark was over 79 per 100,000 population. Across the European Union overall, the rate of lung cancer diagnoses was 94.5 per 100,000 among men and 44.1 per 100,000 among women.

Smoking and lung cancer risk

The connection between smoking and the increased risk of health problems is well established. As of 2021, Hungary had one of the highest daily smoking rates in Europe, with over a quarter of adults smoking daily in the Central European country. The only other countries with a higher share of smoking adults were Bulgaria and Turkey. A positive development though, is the share of adults smoking every day has decreased in almost every European country since 2011.

The rise of vaping

Originally marketed as a device to help smokers quit, e-cigarettes or vapes have seen increased popularity among people who never smoked cigarettes, especially young people. The use of vapes among young people was reported to be highest in Estonia, Czechia, and Ireland. The dangers of vaping have not been examined over the long term. In the EU there have been attempts to make ‘vapes’ less accessible and appealing for young people, which would include such things as banning flavors and stopping the sale of disposable e-cigarettes.