A survey has found a decline in the rates of pulmonary cancer in the U.S. varied by several factors including race, gender, and ethnicity.
The research led by a team from National Cancer Institute was published Aug. 11 in the online journal Cancer.
The data was collected as part of the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) program, and scientists examined the rates for white and Black people diagnosed from 1977-2010, and non-white Hispanics, Asian/Pacific Islanders and white Hispanics diagnosed from 1992-2010.
Here is what they found:
- Decline was at a much steeper rate in males than females
- Ratios of lung cancer rates for males and females fell more among white and Black people in comparison to other racial and ethnic groups
- Certain types of lung cancer are increasing, such as adenocarcinoma from 2006 to 2010 in men only
Smoking is still cause for 90 to 95 percent of all lung cancer cases. And death from lung cancer accounts for nearly a third of all cancer deaths, making it the No. 1 cancer killer.
Overall, the researchers at the NCI found that prevalence has dropped 12 percent.
“The good news is that lung cancer rates are declining,” says Denise Riedel Lewis, lead author of the study, to Tech Times. “However, it’s not as clear for certain subtypes, and we are not exactly sure of the reasons behind these increases.”
The trend could be part of an overall decline in smoking, which is encouraging proof that this disease is preventable through education and behavioral changes.
S.C. Rhyne is a blogger and novelist in New York City. Follow the author on Twitter @ReporterandGirl, http://Facebook.com/TheReporterandTheGirl and visit her website at http://www.TheReporterandTheGirl.com
