Global, regional and national burden of lung cancer and its attributable risk factors in 204 countries and territories, 1990-2019.

Objective: To explore the lung cancer burden and related risk factors in groups of different sex, ages and levels of sociodemographic index (SDI) at global, regional and national levels.

Methods: Using newly released GBD 2019 data, we explored the trends of lung cancer burden and its related risk factors in groups of different sex, ages and levels of SDI at global, regional and national levels. The Global Health Data Exchange query tool was used to obtain the data.

Results: While lung cancer has an overall stable age-standardized incidence rate (ASIR), the death rate (ASDR) and disability-adjusted life-years (DALYs) rate (with even a trend of decline), it is still the number one malignant tumor. The ASIR and ASDR grew slowly in women worldwide. In 2019, High-income North America, East Asia and Central Europe ranked top three in ASIR, ASDR and age-standardized DALY rate, with growth in East Asia the highest. These three indicators were not in a single linear relation with SDI at a national level, and a peak appeared when SDI was about 0.8. The top three attributable risk factors to DALYs were smoking, particulate matter pollution and occupational carcinogens.

Conclusions: Given the high heterogeneity in lung cancer burden among different populations, decision-makers should understand local epidemiological characteristics of lung cancer in detail to formulate effective policies. Stricter tobacco control and improvement in lung cancer screening and treatment are imperative.