Lung cancer

Lung cancer is the growth of abnormal cells in the lungs as tumours. There are many risk factors (Public Health Agency of Canada), but the most common cause for lung cancer (Public Health Agency of Canada) is smoking.

• by geographic area
• by Greater Sudbury and outlying areas
• by sex
• by age group
• deaths by geographic area

Lung cancer by geographic area

Key findings:

• In the Sudbury & District Health Unit (SDHU) area, there were 202 new cases of lung cancer in 2009.
• In 2009, the lung cancer rate in the SDHU area was 72 new cases per 100,000 population.
• The lung cancer rate in the SDHU area is generally similar to that in northeastern Ontario, and the rates in both the SDHU area and northeastern Ontario are consistently higher than that of Ontario.
• Between 2000 and 2009, the rate of lung cancer in the SDHU area was fairly stable.

Notes:

• Rates are age-standardized using the 1991 Canadian population.
• Data Source: Ontario Cancer Registry and Population Estimates, Cancer Care Ontario, SEER*Stat, Oct. 2012 release.

Figure: Annual age-standardized incidence rate, lung cancer, by geographic area, 2000–2009

Table: Annual age-standardized incidence rate, lung cancer, by geographic area, 2000–2009

Geographic Area	2000	2001	2002	2003	2004	2005	2006	2007	2008	2009
SDHU	71.4	70.8	72.6	69.4	60.7	71	71.1	72.8	72.5	72
Northeast Ontario	70.3	76.4	68	70	67	70.9	71.5	67.5	68.6	67.7
Ontario	55.9	55.5	53.3	51.9	52.5	54	52.5	51.2	50.3	50.3

Table: Annual number of cases, lung cancer, by geographic area, 2000–2009

Geographic Area	2000	2001	2002	2003	2004	2005	2006	2007	2008	2009
SDHU	168	170	178	175	157	185	188	197	202	202
Northeast Ontario	504	555	506	534	522	566	583	557	583	583
Ontario	7189	7323	7211	7227	7493	7913	7886	7916	8002	8222

Lung cancer by Greater Sudbury and outlying areas

Key findings:

• In 2009, there were 162 new cases of lung cancer in Greater Sudbury and 40 cases in the SDHU district office areas.
• The rate of lung cancer was 72 cases per 100,000 among residents of Greater Sudbury and 72 cases per 100,000 among residents SDHU district office areas.
• Due to small numbers, rates in the SDHU district office areas should be interpreted with caution.
• The rate of lung cancer among residents of the Greater Sudbury has generally been slightly higher than the rate among residents of the SDHU district office areas.
• The rate of lung cancer in both Greater Sudbury and the SDHU district office areas were fairly consistent between 2000 and 2009, despite some fluctuations.

Notes:

• Rates are age-standardized using the 1991 Canadian population.
• Data Source: Ontario Cancer Registry and Population Estimates, Cancer Care Ontario, SEER*Stat, Oct. 2012 release.

Figure: Annual age-standardized incidence rate, lung cancer, Greater Sudbury vs. Sudbury & District Health Unit (SDHU) district office areas, 2000–2009

Table: Annual age-standardized incidence rate, lung cancer, Greater Sudbury vs. Sudbury & District Health Unit (SDHU) district office areas, 2000–2009

Census Division	2000	2001	2002	2003	2004	2005	2006	2007	2008	2009
SDHU District Office Areas	53.4	76.2	54.1	64	49.6	69.3	62.1	71.8	62.6	71.5
Manitoulin District	58.4	56.1	44.7	53	50.7	66.3	49.4	62.9	55.4	59.1
Sudbury District	53.5	92.4	59.2	70.6	48.7	72.3	70.1	78	68.1	80.3
City of Greater Sudbury	76.1	69.9	77.7	70.8	63.4	70.8	73.5	73.8	74.5	72.1

Table: Annual number of cases, lung cancer, Greater Sudbury vs. Sudbury & District Health Unit (SDHU) district office areas, 2000–2009

Census Division	2000	2001	2002	2003	2004	2005	2006	2007	2008	2009
SDHU District Office Areas	25	36	26	31	25	36	33	39	35	40
Manitoulin District	10	10	8	10	10	13	11	13	12	13
Sudbury District	15	26	18	21	15	23	22	26	23	27
City of Greater Sudbury	143	134	152	144	132	149	155	158	167	162

Lung cancer by sex

Key findings:

• In 2009, there were 112 males and 90 females diagnosed with lung cancer in the SDHU area.
• In the SDHU area, the rate of lung cancer was 88 new cases per 100,000 males and 59 new cases per 100,000 females in 2009.
• The rate of lung cancer among males in the SDHU area has been consistently higher than the rate among females.
• Between 2000 and 2009, there has been no clear trend in lung cancer rates in either males or females.

Notes:

• Rates are age-standardized using the 1991 Canadian population.
• Data Source: Ontario Cancer Registry and Population Estimates, Cancer Care Ontario, SEER*Stat, Oct. 2012 release.

Figure: Annual age-standardized incidence rate, lung cancer, by sex, Sudbury & District Health Unit (SDHU) area, 2000–2009

Table: Annual age-standardized incidence rate, lung cancer, by sex, Sudbury & District Health Unit (SDHU) area, 2000–2009

Sex	2000	2001	2002	2003	2004	2005	2006	2007	2008	2009
Both	71.4	70.8	72.6	69.4	60.7	71	71.1	72.8	72.5	72
Males	100.5	88.8	82.9	84.8	74.9	81	85.1	98.3	94.4	87.5
Females	47.7	55.1	64.4	58.4	49.9	66.1	59.3	51.3	54.3	58.6

Table: Annual number of cases, lung cancer, by sex, Sudbury & District Health Unit (SDHU) area, 2000–2009

Sex	2000	2001	2002	2003	2004	2005	2006	2007	2008	2009
Both	168	170	178	175	157	185	188	197	202	202
Males	108	99	93	96	88	91	103	122	121	112
Females	60	71	85	79	69	94	85	75	81	90

Lung cancer by age group

Key findings:

• In 2009, the highest number of new lung cancer cases was in the 65 to 74 age group, with 78 cases in the SDHU area. There were fewer than 6 new cases per year among people aged 0–44 years. Therefore, the results cannot be reported for this age group.
• The highest rate of lung cancer in the SDHU area was in the 75 and over age group, with 502 cases per 100,000 population in 2009.
• The rate of lung cancer increases with age, though there has often been little difference between the 65 to 74 and 75 and over age groups.
• From 2000 to 2009, the lung cancer rate increased in the 75 and over age groups. Though the rate in the 65–74 year age group fluctuated significantly over the period, the rate in 2009 is about the same as it was in 2000.

Notes:

• Data Source: Ontario Cancer Registry and Population Estimates, Cancer Care Ontario, SEER*Stat, Oct. 2012 release.

Figure: Annual incidence rate, lung cancer, by age group, Sudbury & District Health Unit (SDHU) area, 2000–2009

Table: Annual incidence rate, lung cancer, by age group, Sudbury & District Health Unit (SDHU) area, 2000–2009

Age at Diagnosis	2000	2001	2002	2003	2004	2005	2006	2007	2008	2009
45-64	118.1	116.4	106.7	113.6	103.6	110	108.8	97.9	104	88.4
65-74	460	389.6	445	314.7	273	366.9	434.3	470	437.1	450.9
75+	332	420.6	440	503.3	428.1	471.7	424.6	453.3	479.5	502.3

Table: Annual number of cases, lung cancer, by age group, Sudbury & District Health Unit (SDHU) area, 2000–2009

Age at Diagnosis	2000	2001	2002	2003	2004	2005	2006	2007	2008	2009
45-64	56	56	53	59	55	61	60	56	61	53
65-74	73	62	71	50	44	59	71	78	74	78
75+	35	47	51	60	53	59	55	61	66	69

Lung cancer deaths by geographic area

Key findings:

• In 2009, there were 160 deaths due to lung cancer in the SDHU area.
• In the SDHU area, the lung cancer mortality rate in 2009 was 56 deaths per 100,000 population.
• The rate of lung cancer mortality in the SDHU area has been generally similar to that of northeastern Ontario, while the rates in both the SDHU area and northeastern Ontario are consistently higher than the rate in Ontario.
•  Between 2000 and 2009, the rate of lung cancer mortality in the SDHU was fairly stable.

Notes:

• Rates are age-standardized using the 1991 Canadian population.
• Data Source: Ontario Cancer Registry and Population Estimates, Cancer Care Ontario, SEER*Stat, Oct. 2012 release.

Figure: Annual age-standardized mortality rate, lung cancer, by geographic area, 2000–2009

Table: Annual age-standardized mortality rate, lung cancer, by geographic area, 2000–2009

Geographic Area	2000	2001	2002	2003	2004	2005	2006	2007	2008	2009
SDHU	58.3	57.1	57.8	52.2	66.9	48.6	56.3	54.2	58.8	55.5
Northeast Ontario	54.7	60.2	57.6	53.2	60.8	53.8	54.4	52.3	56	54.8
Ontario	43.4	44.1	43.2	41.8	41.4	41.3	41.8	39.7	39.4	39

Table: Annual number of mortality cases, lung cancer, by geographic area, 2000–2009

Geographic Area	2000	2001	2002	2003	2004	2005	2006	2007	2008	2009
SDHU	137	135	141	130	171	129	149	148	164	160
Northeast Ontario	393	438	428	407	475	434	447	438	475	480
Ontario	5621	5846	5883	5855	5959	6098	6370	6220	6360	6462

 

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This item was last modified on March 26, 2018