Lung cancer has for the first time overtaken breast cancer to become the top killer of women Down Under, according to a report.

With the change in the society, women in Australia are enjoying same freedom as men and have largely picked up cigarette smoking.

According to the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare, the lung cancer rates are expected to increase by 0.4 per cent a year until 2010 for women and to drop by 1.1 per cent for men.

Cancer Council of Australia chief executive Professor Ian Olver said lung cancer had for the first time overtaken breast cancer as the largest killer of women.