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I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I THE TREND OF LUNG CANCER DEATH RATES IN GUANGDONG PROVINCE, CHINA Li Te-'vou, Zhai Shao-jiang and He Chai-gang The Cancer Research and Control Office, Public Health Bureau of Guandong Province, Guangzhou, China Since the 1970s, the lung cancer death rate has increased rapidly in Guandong province. In order to investigate the recent increase, we have conducted a retrospective study of one-tenth of the population in Guangdog province during 1985-1987 as part of the National Unique Investigation Program. There were 54,451,109 people (M:28,042,322 and F:26,408,787) in 1986 in the whole province; the sample contained 5,711,657 persons (M:2,942,550, F:2,769,107). A total of 2,396 lung cancer deaths (M: 1,701, F:695) was reported during the three years. The crude death rate, age adjusted death rate and truncated death rate are shown in Table 1. The sex ratio was 2.30:1. The lung cancer death rate was higher in the city (24.73 per 100,000) than in the county (7.17 per 100,000). Lung cancer was the leading cause of death due to malignant tumor in the city (27.84% of all cancers) and fourth in the country (8.23% of all cancers). Compared with the data from 1970-1972 to 1985-1987, the lung cancer death rate increased from 6.65 per 100,000 to 10.88 per 100,000. The trend in males was higher than that in females (M: from 9.14 to 16.68, F: from 5.57 to 5.79. Table 2) Table 1. The death rate of lung cancer in Guangdong province during 1985-1987 (per 100,000 per year) Death Rate Male Female _ . Total Cnide death rate 19.27 8.36 13.98 China adjusted death rate 16.68 5.79 10.88 World adjusted death rate 26.29 9.04 16.80 Truncated death rate 26.29 9.04 16.80 (35-64 years, %) I

Table 2. The trend of lung cancer death rates in Guangdong province (per 100,000) Time . Malc ~. - Fenvxlc Total 1970-1972 9.14 5.57 6.65 1985-1987 16.69 5.79 10.88 Relative Ratio 1,82 1.04 1.63 Adjusted with the standard population of China in 1964. The lung cancer death rate of cities of Guangdong province (40.71 per 100,000) is higher than the average of forty-one Chinese cities (28.84 per 100,000), whereas the county death rate (8.57 per 100,000) is lower than the average of eighty-seven Chinese counties (12.53 per 100,000). Whether the differences are related to the severe atmospheric pollution, or to occupational exposure that accompany the modernization of Guangdong cities, or to indoor air pollution, remains to be investigated. The etiology of these phenomena need further investigation. -2- N O O ~ V O W W Co ~ , I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I