The European Commission Series for General Practitioners traces its beginnings to the Europe Against Cancer Programme. The books in the series cover major cancer diseases in language designed specifically for general practitioners in the European Community countries. The texts are prepared and edited by the European School of Oncology (ESO) for the Commisson of the European Communities. Each book will be published in each of the official languages of the European Community. The books all follow the same basic design. The first part, which can be read in as little as 15 minutes, summarizes various aspects under relevant questions. The second part focuses on practical problems as they appear to the general practitioner in day-to-day practice. Selected references to recent textbooks and monographs complete the brief discussion and points the interested individual to further reading. The first book in the EC series for General Practitioners deals with lung cancer. In most European countries the incidence of lung cancer is increasing, so that most physicians will regularly be confronted with a lung cancer patient. The first part asks questions about risk, screening, symptoms, and initial diagnosis. The second part briefly discusses epidemiology, pathology, treatment and prevention strategies.