Introduction The State of Qatar has witnessed significant reforms in its health care system including the care of cancer patients. In 2011, the National Cancer Strategy, with the aim to deliver a high standard of care to cancer patients across the country, was released. We aimed to investigate the featuring trends in the epidemiological and clinical characteristics of lung cancer in Qatar following the publication of the National Cancer Strategy. Methods This was a retrospective cohort study documenting the epidemiological and clinical characteristics of primary lung cancer cases diagnosed during the period from January 1st, 2011 till December 31st, 2018, in the State of Qatar. Results The overall age-standardized incidence rate was 8.67 per 100,000 persons (for males and females were 11.64 per 100,000 and 5.36 per 100,000 persons, respectively). The 1, 3, and 5-year overall survival rates were 67%, 48%, and 28%, respectively. The 3-year overall survival rates for stages I, II, III, and IV were 97%, 78%, 52%, and 31% respectively. The 3-year survival rates for males and females were 43% and 64% respectively (P-value 0.029), for Qatari and non-Qatari nationals were 42% and 49% respectively (P-value 0.252), and for smokers and non-smokers were 39% and 69% respectively (P-value ≤0.001). The overall age-standardized mortality rate was 5.49 per 100,000 persons. Adenocarcinoma was the most common histologic type. Conclusion Despite the low overall lung cancer incidence rate in the State of Qatar, there is a rise in the incidence among females when compared to previous studies. Qatar has favourable 5-year lung cancer survival rates compared to many developed and neighbouring countries. Policymakers in the country should consider the changing patterns in lung cancer incidence when planning future preventive strategies.

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