title: Racial and regional disparities in lung cancer incidence.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Lung cancer is the second most commonly diagnosed cancer and the leading cause of cancer-related death in the United States (US). We examined data from 2004 to 2006 for lung cancer incidence rates by demographics, including race and geographic region, to identify potential health disparities.
  
  
  METHODS
  Data from cancer registries affiliated with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's (CDC) National Program of Cancer Registries (NPCR), and the National Cancer Institute's (NCI) Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results Program (SEER) were used for this study; representing 100% of the US population. Age-adjusted incidence rates and 95% confidence intervals for demographic (age, sex, race, ethnicity, and US Census region), and tumor (stage, grade, and histology) characteristics were calculated.
  
  
  RESULTS
  During 2004 to 2006, 623,388 people (overall rate of 68.9 per 100,000) were diagnosed with lung cancer in the US. Lung cancer incidence rates were highest among men (86.2), Blacks (73.0), persons aged 70 to 79 years (431.1), and those living in the South (74.7). Among Whites, the highest lung cancer incidence rate was in the South (75.6); the highest rates among Blacks (88.9) and American Indians/Alaska Natives (65.4) in the Midwest, Asians/Pacific Islanders in the West (40.0), and Hispanics in the Northeast (40.3).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our findings of racial, ethnic, and regional disparities in lung cancer incidence suggest a need for the development and implementation of more effective culturally specific preventive and treatment strategies that will ultimately reduce the disproportionate burden of lung cancer in the US.
authors.affiliation: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia 30341, USA. jmunderwood@cdc.gov
authors.forename: J Michael
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Underwood
authors.forename: Julie S
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Townsend
authors.forename: Eric
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Tai
authors.forename: Shane P
authors.initials: SP
authors.lastname: Davis
authors.forename: Sherri L
authors.initials: SL
authors.lastname: Stewart
authors.forename: Arica
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: White
authors.forename: Behnoosh
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Momin
authors.forename: Temeika L
authors.initials: TL
authors.lastname: Fairley
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D044383:Black People / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005006:Ethnicity; D005260:Female; D054624:Health Status Disparities; D006630:Hispanic or Latino / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000208:ethnology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012042:Registries; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology; D044465:White People / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D001741:Black or African American