Determinants of the excessive rates of lung cancer in northeast Florida.
BACKGROUND
Age-adjusted rates of lung cancer among whites, but not blacks, in Duval County Jacksonville), Florida, have been among the highest of any metropolitan area of the United States for three decades.


METHODS
We conducted a case-control study, interviewing 507 patients with lung cancer diagnosed from 1993 to 1996 and 1,007 control subjects, randomly selected from the county population.


RESULTS
Cigarette smoking was the dominant cause of lung cancer (odds ratios, 59 among male current smokers; 30 among female current smokers). Both prevalence and intensity of smoking were excessive for whites but less for blacks when compared with national norms. Little association was found with residential patterns, indices of air quality, or occupation. Risk doubled with increased intake of dietary fat and with a family history of lung cancer.


CONCLUSIONS
Life-style factors, especially smoking, but not environmental factors, appear responsible for the high rates of lung cancer in northeast Florida.
Tousey
P M
PM
Heart and Lung Institute at St. Vincent's Inc, Baptist/St. Vincent's Health System, St. Vincent's Medical Center, and University of North Florida, Jacksonville 32204, USA.
Wolfe
K W
KW
Mozeleski
A
A
Mohr
D L
DL
Cantrell
B B
BB
O'Donnell
M
M
Heath
C W
CW
Blot
W J
WJ
D000328:Adult; D001741:Black or African American / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000397:Air Pollution; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D003710:Demography; D004041:Dietary Fats / Q000008:administration & dosage; D005190:Family; D005260:Female; D005431:Florida / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D008019:Life Style; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000453:epidemiology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009790:Occupations; D012111:Residence Characteristics; D012307:Risk Factors; D012907:Smoking / Q000009:adverse effects; D044465:White People / Q000706:statistics & numerical data
D004041:Dietary Fats