Objective. Detection of changes in the structure of histological types of lung cancer and determination of the dynamics of patient survival rate over the period from 1997 to 2018 years.

Materials and methods. The study included all patients, residents of Belarus, with a diagnosis of lung cancer, established in the period from 1990 to 2018 years, who registered in the national cancer registry (code according to the International Classification of Diseases ICD-10: C33—С34). Demographic variables included gender, age, and location (urban or rural). Histological types of lung cancer are classified according to morphological codes: squamous cell carcinoma (8050-8078, 8083-8084) and adenocarcinoma (8140, 8211, 8230—8231, 8250—8260, 8323, 8480—8490, 8550—8551, 8570—8574, 8576). Tumor prevalence was assessed by stages I—IV or considered as unknown. The number of cases of lung cancer was presented as absolute values and rough intensive rates per 100 000 population. Standardized morbidity and mortality rates were calculated using the World Standard (World) age distribution and expressed per 100 000 population.

Relative 5-year survival rate was calculated for the periods 1991—1995, 1996—2001, 2002—2007, 2008—2013 and 2014—2017 by the method of life tables. When calculating the expected survival the Ederer method was used.

Conclusion. Squamous cell carcinoma continues to be the predominant histological form of lung cancer in the Republic of Belarus, but its share has decreased over the past 20 years from 74,8 to 46,3 %. The incidence of lung adenocarcinoma is characterized by an upward linear trend in both men and women. Only a third of lung cancer patients diagnosed have an early stage of the tumor and this proportion remains unchanged throughout the study period. Screening for lung cancer using low-dose computed tomography of the chest is the only promising method for the early diagnosis of lung cancer.