US Lung Cancer Incidence and Mortality on the Decline, Disparities Remain

US lung cancer incidence and mortality rates have declined in recent years, but there are wide variations between the sexes and across racial and ethnic groups, according to data published in Cancer.

The population‐based data come from the National Cancer Institute, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and the North American Association of Central Cancer Registries.

Lung Cancer Incidence

Researchers found that, during 2015-2019, the incidence of lung cancer (per 100,000 population) was 56.3 cases overall, 64.1 cases in men, and 50.3 cases in women. Lung cancer incidence by racial/ethnic group was:

• 61.6 cases in American Indian and Alaska Native (AIAN) individuals
• 60.6 cases in Black individuals
• 58.2 cases in White individuals
• 34.2 cases in Asian-American/Pacific Islander (AAPI) individuals
• 29.1 cases in Hispanic individuals.

The researchers also evaluated the annual percent change (APC) in lung cancer incidence over time by sex and race/ethnicity. The APCs during the most recent period evaluated were:

• 0.3 during 2017-2019 for Black women
• 0.2 during 1998-2019 for AAPI women
• 0.1 during 2001-2019 for AIAN women
• -0.6 during 1998-2019 for Hispanic women
• -0.7 during 1998-2019 for AIAN men
• -0.9 during 2006-2019 for White women
• -1.6 during 1998-2019 for AAPI men
• -2.6 during 1998-2019 for Hispanic men
• -3.2 during 2017-2019 for White men
• -3.2 during 2008-2019 for Black men.

“Lung cancer incidence trends closely mirror the tobacco epidemic, with a lag of several decades,” the researchers wrote. “Over the past 10 years, incidence rates declined fastest in Black individuals and slowest among AIAN individuals. Rates were stable among AIAN women, who have the highest rates of their counterparts.”

Lung Cancer Mortality

The researchers also found that, during 2016-2020, the lung cancer mortality rate (per 100,000 population) was 35.0 overall, 42.2 in men, and 29.3 in women. The mortality rate by racial/ethnic group was:

• 42.3 in AIAN patients
• 38.0 in Black patients
• 37.2 in White patients
• 19.8 in AAPI patients
• 15.4 in Hispanic patients.

The APCs by sex and race/ethnicity during the most recent period evaluated were:

• -2.3 during 2004-2020 for AIAN women
• -3.2 during 2013-2020 for AAPI women
• -3.6 during 2015-2020 for Hispanic women
• -4.3 during 2014-2020 for White women
• -4.5 during 2013-2020 for Black women
• -5.0 during 2014-2020 for White men
• -5.1 during 2012-2020 for AIAN men
• -5.1 during 2015-2020 for AAPI men
• -5.1 during 2015-2020 for Hispanic men
• -5.5 during 2013-2020 for Black men.

“The pace of the mortality decline has closely mirrored that for incidence until the most recent 5‐year period, when the decrease in mortality accelerated, in part because of recent advances in treatment and early detection,” the researchers wrote.

This article originally appeared on Cancer Therapy Advisor