Racial disparities in lung cancer mortalities in the United States: A retrospective analysis

Lung cancer is the most commonly diagnosed cancer and leading cause of cancer deaths globally. In the United States, it accounts for about 1 in 8 of all cancer diagnoses. This study examines racial disparities due to lung cancer-related mortality in the United States, focusing on diverse demographic groups. We queried the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Wide-Ranging Online Data for Epidemiologic Research database for mortality statistics associated with lung and bronchus cancer (international classification of diseases-10 code: C34.0) between the years 1999 and 2020. Age adjusted mortality rates (AAMR) were calculated for various subgroups stratified by race. Joinpoint regression analysis was used to calculate the annual percentage changes and average annual percentage changes in AAMR and assess the temporal trends. During the study period, there were 35,99,330 lung cancer deaths with an AAMR of 61.5 per 1,00,000. Mortality rates in males (AAMR: 78.5) exceeded those in females (AAMR: 48.7) across all racial groups. The highest mortality rate was observed among Non-Hispanic (NH) Black individuals (AAMR: 67.1), while Hispanics had the lowest (AAMR: 25.8). Regionally, the South had the highest mortality rate (AAMR: 66.7), with NH Whites having the highest rate (AAMR: 72.2). The midwest followed (AAMR: 66.6), with highest death rate in NH Blacks (AAMR: 79.5). Rural areas (AAMR: 71.2) had higher rates than urban areas (AAMR: 59.5). Hispanics/Latinos had the lowest age-adjusted mortality rates in all regions. NH Blacks face pronounced disparities in lung cancer mortality, emphasizing the need for targeted interventions in high-risk groups. Understanding regional variations provides insights for tailored strategies to mitigate disparities and reduce lung cancer-related mortality.