A Study of Statistical Trends in Lung Cancer Mortality Nationwide and in Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan and an Examination of Previous Efforts to Control Such Cancer and Their Current Status

摘要

Introduction and Materials and Methods: In Japan, deaths due to malignant neoplasms reached 320,000 per year in 2005; most of these were due to lung cancer and totaled over 60,000 deaths. Together with advances in the treatment of lung cancer, lung cancer control from the perspective of preventive medicine is also crucial. We studied mortality rates for lung cancer nationwide and in Kanagawa Prefecture; we examined age-adjusted mortality rates for malignant neoplasms of the trachea, bronchus, and lung by sex in 5-year intervals from 1975 to 2005 according to vital statistics. Results: Nationwide, age-adjusted mortality rates for malignant neoplasms of the trachea, bronchus, and lung per 100,000 population were 44.6 for men and 11.7 for women in 2005. In Kanagawa Prefecture, age-adjusted mortality rates for malignant neoplasms of the trachea, bronchus, and lung were 39.8 for men and 11.6 for women in 2005. Both nationwide and in Kanagawa Prefecture, age-adjusted mortality rates for malignant neoplasms of the trachea, bronchus, and lung among both men and women were high in 2005 in comparison to 1975 and 1980. Conclusion: In the future, a reduction in lung cancer morbidity and mortality must be sought by efforts from various perspectives such as further advances in the areas of smoking cessation and cancer treatment. The situation requires that relevant areas such as public administration and medicine work together to study and implement lung cancer control.