Lung cancer remains the leading cause of cancer death in the United States. It has been estimated that in the year 2001 there will have be more than 157,400 deaths from lung cancer (28% of all cancer deaths) and 169,500 newly diagnosed cases of lung cancer (13.4% of all newly diagnosed cancer) recorded. The significance of this disease requires development of better treatments and of feasible means to prevent the development and progression of lung cancer, especially since the progression of initiation to clinical manifestation may take years. The use of an appropriate animal model is paramount to the study of human disease.

More than 95% of all primary human lung cancer is directly attributed to the use of tobacco products2. The most common forms of human lung cancer include squamous cell carcinoma, adenocarcinoma, and small cell carcinoma .