Lung cancer associated with natural vegetation cover: spatial analysis in the state of Pará, eastern Brazil

Lung cancer represents the second-highest incidence of cancer worldwide and the leading cause of cancer-related deaths. Smoking is still the main risk factor, but other factors are also important, such as those associated with the large-scale exploitation of natural resources. This ecological study aimed to analyse the potential association between the spatial distribution of lung cancer and the natural vegetation cover in the state of Pará, Brazil. The study included 700 new cases of lung cancer taken from the Integrador Hospital Cancer Registries, a web-based system consolidating cancer data across Brazil. Spatial exploratory techniques were estimated by global and local spatial correlation coefficients and presented as thematic maps. The independent variables were socio-economic and environmental indicators. A significant variation was identified between different geographical areas and the distribution pattern of lung cancer incidence, with a negative correlation (I = - 0.12, p-value = < 0.001) between cancer rates and natural vegetation cover. The findings provide insights into the role of environmental factors that influence public health, ratifying the need for environmental conservation policies to promote health and prevent disease.