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BackgroundVery few studies have examined occupational exposures in jobs that are typically performed by women. WELCA study aims at investigating the aetiology of lung cancer in women, focusing particularly on hormonal and occupational risk factors.MethodsWELCA is a population based case-control study in progress (1000 ca/1000 co) ending in 2017. Cases are women with incident lung cancer, living in the Ile de France area and aged up to 75 years. The control group is a random sample of the population living in the same area, frequency-matched for age and additionally stratified on the distribution of socio-professional categories of women residing there. Subjects are interviewed face-to-face using a standardised questionnaire (CAPI) collecting information on reproductive and hormonal factors, tobacco, residential history and a detailed description of occupational lifetime history. Specific questionnaires have been developed concerning jobs and sectors that are frequently considered of particular interest for the study: house cleaning, dry cleaning and laundry, hairdressing, catering and cooking, health, beauty therapist, nail salons. Blood samples and tumours are also collected, to establish a biobank for molecular epidemiology studies. To date 670ca/450co are already included.DiscussionThe large number of women should allow to uncover occupational exposures more specific of their professional activities. In addition information on many non-occupational risk factors is available, and the study will provide an excellent framework for numerous studies in various fields. Preliminary results on participation rates, biobank, socio-demographic characteristics or number of job periods described will be presented.