Lung Cancer Rising Among Women and Non-Smokers in Belgium
Lung cancer is increasingly affecting women and people who have never smoked in Belgium, according to new data released by the Belgian Cancer Foundation (Stichting tegen Kanker) on World Lung Cancer Day. The number of new lung cancer diagnoses in Belgium is projected to rise from 9,487 in 2023 to 11,429 per year by 2035—an increase of approximately 20 percent, as reported by VRT NWS.
A Dramatic Rise Among Women
Behind the overall figures lies a striking gender disparity. While lung cancer diagnoses among men appear to be stabilizing, cases among women have risen sharply over the past two decades—from 1,554 in 2004 to 3,773 in 2023, with projections reaching 5,716 by 2035, an increase of more than 50 percent. According to projections from the Belgian Cancer Registry, lung cancer is now the second most common cancer in both men and women in Belgium, trailing only prostate cancer in men and breast cancer in women.
The rise among women is linked to the later adoption of smoking by women compared to men. However, experts emphasize that smoking is not the only factor. An estimated 80 to 90 percent of lung cancers are caused by tobacco use, but the disease also affects non-smokers, as Stichting tegen Kanker highlights in its World Lung Cancer Day briefing.
Conny’s Story: Three Battles with Cancer
Conny Salenbien (63) from Jabbeke, West Flanders, has never smoked—yet she has been diagnosed with lung cancer three times. Her first cancer diagnosis came in 1995, when breast cancer was detected at age 32. In 2013, during a routine check, doctors discovered both a recurrence of breast cancer and a separate tumor in her left lung—two different cancers simultaneously. She underwent surgery to remove part of her left lung lobe, followed by chemotherapy and radiotherapy.
In 2020, the lung cancer returned as stage IV with four metastases, and an ALK+ mutation was identified—a rare form of lung cancer often found in people who never or rarely smoked. As explained in Prolong VZW’s guide to lung cancer mutations, ALK rearrangements occur in approximately 3 to 5 percent of non-small cell lung cancer patients and can be treated with targeted therapies.
Conny now receives targeted therapy with tumor-suppressing pills rather than chemotherapy or immunotherapy. The ALK mutation has since spread to her right lung. “It’s now anxiously waiting until the next check-up, later this month,” she told VRT NWS. “My doctor told me I drew the wrong lot and that they discovered it purely by chance.”
“When you get lung cancer, you don’t feel it either: you have no pain,” Conny added. “And once the cancer has spread extensively, it’s too late.” Her experience is shared by many: 65 percent of lung cancer diagnoses are made at an advanced stage because early-stage disease typically produces few, non-specific symptoms.
The Dangerous Myth That Lung Cancer Only Affects Smokers
The stigma surrounding lung cancer remains a significant barrier to early diagnosis. Research by patient organization Prolong VZW found that 57 percent of Belgians think “he or she must have smoked” when told someone has lung cancer, and nearly one in three (30 percent) consider the disease to be at least partly the patient’s own fault.
“The myth that lung cancer only affects smokers is dangerous and leads to late diagnoses in non-smokers,” warned Pr. Anne-Pascale Meert, pulmonologist and chair of the medical committee of Stichting tegen Kanker, as reported by gezondheid.be. “We see that people who have never smoked often end up at the doctor later because they underestimate the risk to themselves.”
Johan Thibo, chair of Prolong VZW, echoed this sentiment: “It’s true that smoking greatly increases the risk of getting the disease. However, anyone can get lung cancer. You can also just be unlucky. Whatever the cause, no one chooses to get lung cancer. Patients therefore need your support, not your judgment.”
Screening Shows Promise
There is encouraging news on the treatment front. The 5-year survival rate after diagnosis has improved significantly—from 20 to 35 percent for women and from 15 to 27 percent for men between the periods 2004-2008 and 2019-2023—thanks to advances in immunotherapy and targeted therapies.
Early detection is key to further progress. The ZORALCS pilot study, conducted by UZA and UAntwerp in the Antwerp region, screened 1,166 participants with low-dose CT scans between March 2025 and March 2026. Results published in April 2026 show that organized lung cancer screening is feasible, with 2.5 percent of participants found to have findings requiring additional diagnostics.
“International studies show that early detection in people at increased risk can reduce lung cancer-specific mortality by at least 20 percent,” said Prof. dr. Annemiek Snoeckx, radiologist at UZA/UAntwerp and lead researcher of the ZORALCS study. “The biggest challenge today is to integrate such a screening program into our healthcare system in a quality and feasible way.”
What’s Next
As lung cancer continues to claim nearly 20 percent of all cancer-related deaths in Belgium, the push for organized screening programs and continued research into targeted therapies remains urgent. For patients like Conny, the fight is deeply personal. “The impact is enormously large,” she said. “People with lung cancer need your support, not your judgment.” The final clinical outcomes of the ZORALCS study are expected in the third quarter of 2027, which could pave the way for a nationwide lung cancer screening program in Belgium.