BACKGROUND: Lung cancer has changed significantly during the past 2 decades in its epidemiology and treatment. This retrospective analysis used data from 7 major areas of China over 10 years to evaluate clinicopathologic and surgical treatment trends of lung cancer in China during the past decade.

METHODS: Data from 7184 patients with primary lung cancer who were treated between 2005 and 2014 in 8 provinces of China were retrospectively collected. Their clinicopathologic features and surgical treatment information were recorded. Simple linear regression models and the Cochrane-Armitage trend test were used to assess temporal trends.

RESULTS: The proportion of female patients (from 57.4% to 59.6%; P < .001) and nonsmoking patients (from 37.1% to 48.9%; P < .001) and of patients with a family history of malignant tumors (from 7.0% to 11.5%; P < .001) increased significantly. The percentage of adenocarcinomas increased significantly (from 36.4% to 53.5%; P < .001), with a decrease in squamous cell carcinomas (from 45.4% to 34.4%; P < .001). After 2008, the application of minimally invasive surgery significantly increased in China (from 2.4% in 2008 to 34.4% in 2014; P < .001), with a decline in the rate of conversion to open operation (from 14.3% in 2008 to 4.8% in 2014; P = .146) and an increase in the proportion of systematic mediastinal lymph node dissection (from 50.0% in 2008 to 84.1% in 2014; P = .001).

CONCLUSIONS: This study investigated recent 10-year trends in the clinicopathologic features and surgical treatment of lung cancer in China and found significant important changes. These findings provide valuable information and evidence for the future control of the disease in China.