Introduction: Tumour stage is the most important prognostic factor in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) and small cell lung cancer (SCLC). The aim of this study was to evaluate if female gender was a prognostic factor in different tumour stages in relation to histology and given therapy. Methods: From 1989-2008, 1497 patients in eastern Scania, in southern Sweden with 202,000 inhabitants, were referred and prospectively registered. Tumour stage, performance status, lung cancer type and primary therapy were registered. Results: In NSCLC, female patients in stages 1 and 2 who were treated with surgery had a better 5-year survival rate (79.4%), compared to males (60.6%; p = 0.0004). Female patients in stage 3 with active therapy (surgery and/or radiotherapy and/or chemotherapy) had a better 5-year survival than males (20.6% vs. 10.5%, respectively, p = 0.0006). Female patients with adenocarcinoma were favourable in stages 1-3. In stage 4, there was no survival difference between females and males. In SCLC, females with limited disease (LD) and active therapy (chemotherapy ± radiotherapy ± surgery) had a higher 5-year survival rate (28%) than males (5.6%); p = 0.001. Females with extensive disease (ED) and active therapy (chemotherapy ± radiotherapy) had a better 5-year survival (3.9%) compared to males (0.7%); p = 0.023. In multivariate analyses, patient performance status at diagnosis was also an independent prognostic factor in all tumour stages of lung cancer. Conclusions: This population-based study corroborates a female survival advantage in NSCLC stages 1-3, but not in metastatic stage 4, and this is also demonstrated for the adenocarcinoma subgroup. The study also confirms better prognosis in
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