Tibetan population has been living in Tibet plateau for more than thousands of years ago. Although, the environment is unlikely to be an ideal place for residence. They have evolved genetical and physiological adaptions living in Tibetan highlands. In recent several years, foreign scientists have noticed that lung cancer mortality is reduced at high altitude. Many in vitro and in vivo experiments explored the mechanism of this phenomenon. In this review we discuss the lung cancer incidence and mortally of Tibetan population, as well as the possible underlying mechanism including oxygen level, radiation, inhalable particulate matter, metabolism, hypoxic induced factor pathway and immune system. But, the clinical data as well as basic researches of Tibetan population remain insufficient, which required further investigation.
