Lung Cancer Rates Decline Across U.S. According to Statistics

Data from a recent report from the CDC shows a substantial drop in the cases of lung cancer in the United States. The decrease in both men and women is encouraging as it mirrors the shift in smoking patterns across the country.

The data showed that from 1999 and 2008 the lung cancer rates for men dropped in 35 states, while the drop for women was seen in 6 states. While the women trailed behind the men according to the data, some promising data also showed a steady decrease nationwide for the women from 2006 to 2008.

The data from the report appears to show that the increase in anti-smoking and tobacco campaigns, as well a anti-smoking laws, are having the desired effect. The western U.S. has a lower incidence of smoking than other areas of the country, and in that area, the incidence of lung cancer are decreasing at a higher rate.

Lung cancer rates appear to follow the declining trend in smoking with about a 5 year stagger. “Although lung cancer among men and women has decreased over the past few years,” said CDC Director Thomas R. Frieden, M.D., M.P.H. “too many people continue to get sick and die from lung cancers, most of which are caused by smoking. The more we invest in proven tobacco control efforts, the fewer people will die from lung cancer.”

The data in the report was based on lung cancer data from CDC′s National Program of Cancer Registries and the National Cancer Institute′s Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results Program. Additionally, the researchers estimated smoking behavior by state using the CDC′s Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System.