Lung cancer is continuing to rise in British women, with new figures also revealing the total number of deaths from the disease hitting 35,000 per year.
The highest number of newly diagnosed cases were reported in 2009 when the total number topped over 18,000.
Cases reached 39.3 for every 100,000 women in Britain, compared with 22.2 per 100,000 in 1975 when there were fewer than 8,000 cases.
The Cancer Research UK figures also show the number of lung cancer deaths in Britain stands at almost 35,000 per year – 19,410 men and 15,449 women in 2010.
Jean King, director of tobacco control at Cancer Research UK, said: ‘These latest figures highlight the deadly impact of tobacco.
‘The continuing rise of lung cancer in women reflects the high number of female smokers several decades ago when attitudes were different.
‘Tobacco advertising hasn’t appeared on UK television since 1965, but that didn’t stop the marketing of cigarettes.’
Ms King also supported the government’s plans to stub out cigarette branding to make the habit less appealing to smokers.
She said: ‘It’s vital the UK closes one of the last remaining loopholes that portrays smoking as something glamorous and normal, rather than the lethal product it truly is.
‘Ending the packet racket and putting all cigarettes in plain packs with large health warnings is crucial.
‘No one wants to see children take up smoking, and while plain packs won’t stop everyone from smoking, it will give millions of children one less reason to start.’
Over 80 percent of lung cancer cases are caused through smoking.