Trend in lung cancer incidence in Kermanshah province -Iran, 1997-2007

Background: Lung cancer is one of the most fatal and preventable cancers. In this study, we sought to investigate about trend in incidence of lung cancer in Kermanshah province -Iran.

Methods: All pathology reports on lung cancer were collected from pathology centers in Kermanshah Province in recent 11 years (1997-2007). After merging the data with cases reported in, province health centre data whole data were analysed using Stata8. Using world standard population, we calculated Standardized incidence proportion  by direct method and using FAY & FEUER method. We calculated 95% confidence interval for incidence of lung cancer in each year.

Results: Over 11 years of study period, 637 patients with lung cancer have been reported in Kermanshah from total, 582 patients had primary lung cancer. The row and standardized incidence of this cancer was 3.2 and 6.1 in 100,000 people over 11 years of study, respectively. The incidence was increasesd with age. Annual percentage change showed a decrease over years (3.4% decrease in 100000 in each year) (P= 0.24). For the whole period of study, the incidence of lung cancer in men was greater than female and male to female ratio varied from 2.2 to 12.7.

Conclusion: Decrease in incidence of lung cancer was not significant. It might be partly due to non complete cancer registration as well as changes in cancer registration over years.