Lung cancer burden in Georgia by age, race, gender, poverty level and rural/non-rural residence

Lung cancer poses a serious disease burden in the state of Georgia, USA. The number of lung cancer deaths in Georgia residents from 2000-2007 was more than three times higher (34,225 deaths) than the next leading cause of cancer mortality in this population. This study examines the burden of lung cancer incidence and mortality in Georgia as related to age, gender, race, poverty level and urban/rural residence. Using 1998-2005 Georgia Comprehensive Cancer Registry and Georgia Vital Statistics data, we found age-adjusted incidence rates of lung cancer in black men and white men to be comparable but slightly higher in black males especially at younger ages. White women were approximately 1.5 times more likely to have a lung cancer diagnosis than black women. Blacks were more likely to be diagnosed at a later stage than whites, affecting treatment options and outcome. Conversely, the age-adjusted mortality rate for whites in rural areas was 11% higher than those in non-rural areas, while rural/non-rural residence had a negligible impact on mortality rates among blacks. As with incidence, there are mortality differences between the younger (20-59) and older (60+) age groups. Similar differences also hold for white and black men having worse lung cancer mortality rates in rural/non-MSA counties compared to urban/MSA Counties. The same does NOT hold true for women -- older late stage diagnosis women in Urban/MSA areas have higher mortality rates than their Rural/Non-MSA counterparts. Details of these and other findings and implications for further research are discussed.