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I I I I I I I t I I 1 I I I I I MORTALITY TREND FROM LUNG CANCER FROM 1976 TO 1992 IN GUANGZHOU, CHINA Zhou Xiu-zhen, Yang Zhi-cong, Liu Jin-cheng and Liu Shu-guo The Municipal Health & Antiepidemic Station of Guangzhou, Guangzhou, China In the Guangzhou urban area, the total crude mortality rate (per 100,000 population) from lung cancer increased from 28.54 in 1976-1979(1970s) to 39.58 in 1983-1986(1980s) and 49.87 in 1990- 1992(1990s), respectively. Chinese standardized mortality rates (CSMR) were 21.44, 27.28 and 30.88 per 100,000 population in these three decades, respectively. From the 1970s to the 1980s and the 1990s, the crude death rates increased by 38.68 % and 74.73 % and the CSMR increased by 27.24% and 44.03%, respectively. The difference in the CSMR is significant between the 1970s and the 1980s (U=3.23, p<0.01), and also between the the 1970s and 1990s (U=4.87, p<0.01). The results show that the trend of death rates from lung cancer in the Guangzhou urban area increased gradually from 1976 to 1992. By comparison the sex-specific mortality rates (per 100,000 population), were 36.27 (CSMR 31.39) for males and 20.23 (CSMR 13.94) for females in the 1970s, 52.02 (CSMR 39.14) for males and 26.22 (CSMR 16.74) for females in the 1980s, and 66.42 (CSMR 33.36) for males and 30.14 (CSMR 27.40) for females in the 1990s. Both crude mortality and CSMR rates for males were higher than for females during these three decades. The age-specific mortality rate was rather low under age 50, while it increased continually over age 60, and it remained relatively stable in these three different decades. Based on the data on the cause of death in Guangzhou, cancer ranked third in the 1970s, whereas it ranked second in the 1980s and the 1990s. Among all sites of malignant tumors, the mortality of lung cancer ranks first during these three decades. Both the crude mortality and CSMR increased continually. The mortality from lung cancer in the industrial areas (where the pollution of air was more severe according to the air monitor in Guangzhou) was higher than that in residential areas. The results suggest that the increase in mortality from lung cancer is not only related to the aging of the population and the increasing probability of contacting the disease, but also to environmental factors, such as air pollution. Cigarette smoking and some occupational factors may be the cause of lung cancer, which should be further studied in the future. O I N 00 ~ V ' CD W ! W (O W I