INCIDENCE OF PRIMARY LUNG CANCERS, TUMOR TYPES, AND DISTRIBUTION OF DEMOGRAPHIC CHARACTERISTICS IN GERI-ATRIC PATIENTS: A 10-YEAR RETROSPECTIVE ANALYSIS OF A SINGLE CENTER

Introduction: The incidence and mortality rates of lung cancer have increased throughout the 20th century, especially in the elderly population. This study aimed to determine the distribution of demographic characteristics of primary lung cancers in a geriatric age group in Aydin and its vicinity, and compare them with those reported in the literature. Materials and Methods: Overall, 1905 cases diagnosed within a 10-year period were included in the study. The cases were grouped based on their distributions of age, sex, anatomic localization, histological types, and year. Results: The mean age was 67.7 (SD 10.8) years; 1498 (78.6%) patients belonged to the geriatric group. The male and female sex ratios were higher in the geriatric and non-geriatric groups, respectively (p<0.001). In middle-aged and advanced-aged males, the decrease throughout the years, especially in the second half, was significant (p<0.001). The female diagnosis rate was higher during the second period (p<0.001). The resection rate was lower, whereas the biopsy rate was higher in the advanced age group (p<0.05). In all groups aged >= 65 years, the incidence of squamous cell carcinoma was higher and significantly increased with age (p<0.05). Conclusion: Our results emphasize the necessity of conducting detailed epidemiological studies involving hormonal, genetic, and regional factors such as indoor and outdoor air pollution, tobacco use. The insuffient treatment and toxicities experienced by elderly lung cancer patients with standard treatments are significant problems. Therefore, all elderly patients with lung cancer should be comprehensively evaluated for efficient, up-to-date treatments to reduce such problems.