British men from Bangladesh have the highest rates of lung cancer in England, according to a study that reveals clear patterns in how the disease affects different communities in the country.
Disparities beyond smoking have been revealed by Oxford University researchers’ analysis of the health records of 17.5 million people and 84,000 cases of lung cancer.
The findings from Oxford’s Nuffield Department of Primary Care Health Sciences coincide with the rollout of the targeted lung health screening program across England, which aims to reach 40% of the eligible population by March 2025 and 100% by 2030.
The new research shows that ‘ethnic background and social circumstances’ are crucial factors in the risk of cancer, how it develops and its type.
Lung cancer was twice as common in the most deprived areas compared with the least affected areas – with 215 cases per 100,000 people among men in the poorest areas, compared with 94 cases in the most affluent areas, the study found.
For women, the rates in the most deprived areas were 147 per 100,000, compared to 62 in the least deprived areas.
Bangladeshi men showed the highest rates of lung cancer, followed by white, Chinese and Caribbean men.
Women and people from Indian, Caribbean, Black African, Chinese and other Asian backgrounds were twice as likely to be diagnosed with adenocarcinoma, one of the most common types of lung cancer. said the paperentitled Ethnic differences in lung cancer incidence and differences in diagnostic features: a population-based cohort study in England, published in the Lancet Regional Health – Europe.
The study, which runs from 2005 to 2019, adds to existing research suggesting that differences in lung cancer may be influenced by genetics, class and habits.
Dr. Daniel Tzu-Hsuan Chen, who led the study, said: “This isn’t just about smoking: our research shows that ethnic background and social circumstances play a crucial role in both the risk of cancer and the way the disease develops. ”
Among those who developed lung cancer, people from deprived areas had a 35% higher risk of being diagnosed with more aggressive forms. The study found that men and current smokers were more likely to be diagnosed at a later stage than women and non-smokers.
In June last year, the then Conservative government announced the rollout of the targeted lung cancer screening programme, aimed at early detection and prevention, across England. This includes people aged 55 to 74, registered with GPs and with a known smoking history, assessed and invited to smoking cessation screenings and services, with the aim of saving thousands of lives and reducing the cost to the NHS of late-stage treatment to decrease.
It follows a pilot started in 2019 in which 900,000 people in parts of England were invited for checks, with more than 2,000 people diagnosed with cancer and 76% of lung cancers caught early, compared to 29% before the disease started.
During the program, screening took place in mobile units in supermarket parking lots, for example, with an emphasis on deprived neighborhoods where people are four times more likely to smoke.
The Oxford researchers hope that by highlighting how access to healthcare, ethnicity and class influence cancer outcomes, their findings will ensure checks reach those most at risk as the rollout continues.
Prof. Julia Hippisley-Cox, senior author of the study, said: “We need to ensure that our cancer services reach all communities effectively and that everyone has the same chance of an early diagnosis.
“Tackling these disparities is not just about lung cancer: if we tackle these fundamental inequalities in access to health care and social disadvantage, we can improve health outcomes in many circumstances.”