Lung Cancer Rates by Race and Ethnicity

Lung cancer rates differ for different racial and ethnic populations. Differences in lung cancer death rates as of 2005 (the most recent year for which statistics are currently available) are shown in the graphs below.

Rate of Lung Cancer by Race and Ethnicity

"Incidence rate" means how many people out of a given number get the disease each year. The graph below shows how many people out of 100,000 got lung cancer each year during the years 1975–2005. The year 2005 is the most recent year for which numbers have been reported. The lung cancer incidence rate is grouped by race and ethnicity.

For example, you can see that black people had the highest incidence rate for lung cancer. White people had the second highest incidence of getting lung cancer, followed by American Indian/Alaska Native, Asian/Pacific Islander, and Hispanic people.

Lung and Bronchus Cancer SEER Incidence Rates* by Race and Ethnicity, U.S., 1975–2005

Incidence source: Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) Program, National Cancer Institute (NCI) 1975–1991 = SEER 9; 1992–2005 = SEER 13.
*Rates are per 100,000 and are age-adjusted to the 2000 U.S. standard population (19 age groups - Census P25-1130).
†Rates for American Indians/Alaska Natives are based on the CHSDA (Contract Health Service Delivery Area) counties.
‡Hispanics are not mutually exclusive from whites, blacks, Asians/Pacific Islanders, and American Indians/Alaska Natives. Incidence data for Hispanics are based on NHIA and exclude cases from the Alaska Native Registry.

Deaths from Lung Cancer by Race and Ethnicity

From 1975–2005, the rate of people dying from lung cancer has varied, depending on their race and ethnicity. The graph below shows that in 2005, black people were more likely to die of lung cancer than any other group. White people had the second highest rate of deaths from lung cancer, followed by people who are American Indian/Alaska Native, Asian/Pacific Islander, and Hispanic.

Lung and Bronchus Cancer U.S. Death Rates* by Race and Ethnicity, U.S., 1975–2005

Mortality source: U.S. Mortality Files, National Center for Health Statistics, CDC.
*Rates are per 100,000 and are age-adjusted to the 2000 U.S. standard population (19 age groups - Census P25-1130).
†Rates for American Indians/Alaska Natives are based on the CHSDA (Contract Health Service Delivery Area) counties.
‡Hispanics are not mutually exclusive from whites, blacks, Asians/Pacific Islanders, and American Indians/Alaska Natives. Mortality data for Hispanics do not include cases from Connecticut, Maine, Maryland, Minnesota, New Hampshire, New York, North Dakota, Oklahoma, and Vermont.