Regional trends and disparities of lung cancer mortality in the United States, 1999–2022: a retrospective cohort study

BACKGROUND: Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer death in the US and worldwide. This study examines regional and state-level trends in lung cancer mortality in the US from 1999 to 2022. METHODS: Center for Disease Control and Prevention Wide-ranging Online Data for Epidemiologic Research (CDC WONDER) was used to obtain data on lung cancer mortality in people ages 25 years and older. Age-Adjusted Mortality Rate (AAMR) was calculated along with Annual Percent Change (APC) and Average Annual Percent Change (AAPC). RESULTS: In general, the age-adjusted mortality rate (AAMR) for lung cancer declined from 91.4 (95% CI 91.0 to 91.9) in 1999 to 52.0 (95% CI 51.7 to 52.2) in 2022. Throughout the study, the Midwest and South regions consistently exhibited the highest mortality rates. Notably, distinct patterns emerged when analyzing mortality rates by race and gender within each region. CONCLUSION: This study revealed significant variations in lung cancer mortality at both regional and state levels. Recognizing these disparities is essential for healthcare policymakers and researchers to monitor progress in reducing lung cancer deaths and identifying the populations most vulnerable to this disease.