A RECENT study has identified British Bangladeshi men as having the highest rates of lung cancer in England.
The research from the University of Oxford revealed how ethnicity and social circumstances significantly influence cancer risk and progression, offering new insights into health disparities across communities.
The findings come from an analysis of health records for 17.5 million people and 84,000 lung cancer cases conducted by Oxford’s Nuffield Department of Primary Care Health Sciences.
The study coincides with England’s nationwide rollout of a targeted lung health check programme, aiming to screen 40 per cent of eligible individuals by March 2025 and achieve full coverage by 2030, reported the Guardian.
The study also revealed that lung cancer rates are strongly tied to deprivation levels. Among men in the most deprived areas, the rate was 215 cases per 100,000 people, more than double the 94 cases recorded in the most affluent regions.
For women, the gap was similarly stark, with 147 cases per 100,000 in the poorest areas compared to 62 in wealthier areas.
Bangladeshi men were identified as having the highest rates, followed by white, Chinese, and Caribbean men. Meanwhile, women and individuals from Indian, Caribbean, Black African, Chinese, and other Asian backgrounds were twice as likely to develop adenocarcinoma, one of the most common forms of lung cancer.
The research, published in The Lancet Regional Health – Europe, covered a period from 2005 to 2019 and underscores the role of genetic predisposition, social class, and lifestyle in shaping cancer outcomes.
Dr Daniel Tzu-Hsuan Chen, the lead author, stressed that the study challenges traditional assumptions about smoking being the sole factor in lung cancer.
“This isn’t just about smoking: ethnic background and social circumstances play crucial roles in both cancer risk and how the disease develops,” he said.
The study also revealed that individuals from deprived areas are 35 per cent more likely to be diagnosed with aggressive forms of lung cancer. Men and smokers were more prone to late-stage diagnoses compared to women and non-smokers, highlighting the need for targeted interventions.
The targeted lung cancer screening programme, launched nationwide after a successful pilot in 2019, is designed to improve early detection. The programme invites people aged 55 to 74 with a history of smoking to undergo screenings and access cessation services.
Screenings often take place in mobile units located in deprived areas, such as supermarket car parks, where smoking rates are higher.
The pilot programme invited 900,000 people for checks, detecting cancer in more than 2,000 cases. As many as 76 per cent of lung cancers were identified early, compared to just 29 per cent before the programme began.
The Oxford researchers aim to use their findings to guide the programme’s expansion and ensure that the communities most at risk benefit from timely interventions.
Prof Julia Hippisley-Cox, a senior author of the study, pointed out the importance of equity in healthcare.
“We need to ensure our cancer services are reaching all communities effectively and that everyone has the same opportunity for early diagnosis. Tackling these disparities isn’t just about lung cancer. Addressing inequalities in healthcare access and social deprivation can improve outcomes across many conditions,” she was quoted as saying.
