INCREASING FEMALE MORTALITY FROM LUNG CANCER

BackgroundThe lung is the most common site for cancer and has the highest worldwide cancer-related mortality. Our study reports and compares trends in lung cancer mortality in the United States (US) and 26 European countries.Study design and methodsLung cancer mortality data were extracted for males and females for each of the years 2000–2017 from the World Health Organization (WHO) Mortality and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) WONDER databases. Lung cancer mortality trends were compared using Joinpoint regression analysis, and male-to-female mortality ratios were calculated.ResultsDown-trending lung cancer mortality rates were observed in males in all countries except Cyprus and Portugal between 2000 and 2017. In females, increasing mortality rates were observed in 22 of the 27 countries analyzed. Latvia had the highest estimated annual percentage change (EAPC) in male mortality (−9.6%) between 2013–2015. In the US, EAPCs were −5.1% for males and −4.2% for females between 2014–2017. All countries had an overall decrease in the ratio of male-to-female lung cancer mortality. The most recent observation of median male-to-female mortality was 2.26 (IQR 1.92–4.05). The countries with the greatest current sex disparity in lung cancer mortality were Lithuania (5.51) and Latvia (5.00).ConclusionBetween 2000 and 2017, lung cancer mortality rates were decreasing for males in Europe and the US, whereas increasing lung cancer mortality rates were generally observed in females. There is a persistent but decreasing sex-mortality gap, with men having persistently greater lung cancer mortality but with rates decreasing faster than women.

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Comment: predictability of survival in the individual patient with lung cancer

JAMA ◽

10.1001/jama.195.12.1036 ◽

1966 ◽

Vol 195 (12) ◽

pp. 1036-1037 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

P. Rubin

Keyword(s):

Lung Cancer ◽

The Individual

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The question of irradiation therapy in lung cancer

JAMA ◽

10.1001/jama.195.6.471 ◽

1966 ◽

Vol 195 (6) ◽

pp. 471-475 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

M. J. Krant

Keyword(s):

Lung Cancer ◽

Irradiation Therapy

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Surgery for Lung Cancer and the Consequences for the Swallow

Perspectives of the ASHA Special Interest Groups ◽

10.1044/persp1.sig13.162 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 1 (13) ◽

pp. 162-168

Author(s):

Pippa Hales ◽

Corinne Mossey-Gaston

Keyword(s):

Lung Cancer ◽

Treatment Options ◽

Vocal Cord Palsy ◽

Subsequent Treatment ◽

Physiological Reserve ◽

Palliative Phase ◽

And Function ◽

The Impact ◽

Swallow Function

Lung cancer is one of the most commonly diagnosed cancers across Northern America and Europe. Treatment options offered are dependent on the type of cancer, the location of the tumor, the staging, and the overall health of the person. When surgery for lung cancer is offered, difficulty swallowing is a potential complication that can have several influencing factors. Surgical interaction with the recurrent laryngeal nerve (RLN) can lead to unilateral vocal cord palsy, altering swallow function and safety. Understanding whether the RLN has been preserved, damaged, or sacrificed is integral to understanding the effect on the swallow and the subsequent treatment options available. There is also the risk of post-surgical reduction of physiological reserve, which can reduce the strength and function of the swallow in addition to any surgery specific complications. As lung cancer has a limited prognosis, the clinician must also factor in the palliative phase, as this can further increase the burden of an already compromised swallow. By understanding the surgery and the implications this may have for the swallow, there is the potential to reduce the impact of post-surgical complications and so improve quality of life (QOL) for people with lung cancer.

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