BACKGROUNDTo study the mortality rate and its trend in lung cancer patients in Yanting County, Sichuan, P.R.China, during 1969-1997.

METHODSAccording to the surveillance death data of the residents in Yanting County, the time series of mortality rates of lung cancer, the average changing speed of mortality rate every year and the proportion of death from lung cancer among all malignant diseases were analyzed. The relationship between the age and the death of lung cancer was explored by birth cohort analysis.

RESULTSThe mortality rate of lung cancer increased year by year (Chi-square=457.51, P=0.000). The proportion of death from lung cancer among all malignant diseases remarkably increased year by year (Chi-square=273.29, P=0.000). Both in male and female lung cancer patients, the mortality rate increased with age. And in the later birth group, the mortality rate increased more quickly.

CONCLUSIONSThe mortality rate of lung cancer patients in Yanting County has significantly gone up during the past 28 years. The prevention and treatment of malignant tumor should be focused on lung cancer.