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On March 27, 2025, we reported on a study published in CA: A Cancer Journal for Clinicians that was designed to estimate the number of averted lung cancer deaths and corresponding person-years of life (PYLs) gained during 1970–2022 as a measure of progress in cancer prevention through tobacco control in the US.
The study
Researchers used the 1970–2022 National Center for Health Statistics mortality data to calculate the expected number of deaths for each year, sex, race, age, and age group. The number of averted lung cancer deaths was calculated by subtracting the observed number of deaths from the expected number in each group. Investigators estimated PYLs gained as a measure of avoided premature mortality based on the average additional years a person would have lived if they had not died from lung cancer. Researchers also estimated the proportions of averted all-cancer deaths that were attributable to the averted lung cancer burden.
The findings
Investigators estimated that 3 856 240 lung cancer deaths were averted and 76 275 550 PYLs were gained during 1970–2022, corresponding to an average gain of 19.8 PYL per averted death.
The analysis further revealed that averted lung cancer deaths accounted for 51.4% of the 7 504 040 all‐cancer deaths estimated to have been averted during the study period. This proportion was higher in men (60.1% of 3 738 520 averted all‐cancer deaths) than in women (42.7% of 3 765 510). Investigators also noted racial differences; among White individuals, lung cancer deaths averted represented 53.6% of all averted cancer deaths, compared with 40.0% in the Black population.
Authors' comments
"The substantial estimated numbers of averted lung cancer deaths and person-years of life gained highlight the remarkable effect of progress against smoking on reducing premature mortality from lung cancer."
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