TIME TREND AND THE AGE-PERIOD-COHORT EFFECT ON THE INCIDENCE OF HISTOLOGIC TYPES OF LUNG-CANCER IN CONNECTICUT, 1960-1989

Background. Recent epidemiologic studies have suggested changing patte rns of lung cancer incidence by histologic type. The observed time tre nds have been attributed to a change in the rate of cigarette smoking, changes in exposure to new environmental carcinogens, and changes in the criteria for the histopathologic diagnosis of lung cancer. The cur rent study was designed to examine the incidence patterns of lung canc er by histologic type in Connecticut and to use this information to pr oject the future trend of the disease in this population. Methods. Thi s study was based on all the lung cancer cases reported to the Connect icut Tumor Registry between 1960 and 1989. On the basis of this data s et, crude and age-adjusted incidence rates of lung cancer were calcula ted by histologic type for each sex. The age-specific incidence rates are presented by calendar year and cohort year of birth. A regression model was used to identify birth cohort, period. and age as determinan ts of the observed time trends. Results, For the overall age-adjusted incidence rates, squamous cell carcinoma and small cell carcinoma have stabilized in men, whereas they are still increasing in women. The in cidence of adenocarcinoma has been increasing in both men and women, b ut there has been a much sharper incidence among females since the mid 1970s. An examination of age-specific incidence rates by birth cohort and the results from age-period-cohort modeling indicate that incidenc es of all three major histologic types of lung cancer in the recent bi rth cohorts either have started decreasing (squamous cell carcinoma) o r shown a clear reduction in the rate of increase (adenocarcinoma and small cell carcinoma). This study, however, did not indicate an increa se of bronchoalveolar lung carcinoma, which was reported by other clin ically based studies. Conclusion. While the overall age-adjusted incid ence rates showed different incidence patterns for different histologi c types of lung cancer, a decreasing or stabilized rate for all three major histologic types of lung cancer was observed in recent birth coh orts in both males and females. The observed incidence pattern is cons istent with smoking trends over time including changes in smoking prev alence and the consumption of low tar and filter cigarettes. It is exp ected that if the current trend in tobacco smoking continues and if th ere are no major changes in other risk factors for lung cancer, a fort hcoming stabilization or decrease in the rate of lung cancer incidence for all major histologic types (including adenocarcinoma) in both sex es in Connecticut could be anticipated.