Their analysis found the number of women with lung cancer will climb from 26,000 in 2010 to 95,000 in 2040. In men, numbers will increase from 39,000 to 42,000.
This means the number of women with the disease would overtake cases in men for the first time, possibly within the next decade.
Researchers said a total of 137,000 people will be living with lung cancer by 2040 - twice as many as today.
The study also predicts that by this time more men will survive the disease than women. It said 59% of men would be expected to live at least five years, compared with just 47% of women.
Ciarán Devane, chief executive of Macmillan Cancer Support, which funded the research, said: 'Lung cancer is often overlooked among cancers but these figures should serve as a firm reminder that it is still very much a cancer killer.'
