A new study reveals that many Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander (AANHPI) women face a disproportionately high risk of lung cancer—even if they’ve never smoked. Researchers found that never-smoking Chinese American women had more than double the lung cancer incidence rate of their non-Hispanic white counterparts. Filipinx, Native Hawaiian, and other Asian groups also showed significantly elevated rates.
Among never-smoking AANHPI women, the lung cancer incidence rate was 17.1 per 100,000, compared to 10.1 among non-Hispanic white women. Chinese American women topped the list at 22.8 per 100,000. “Our study revealed high rates of lung cancer among most never-smoking AANHPI female ethnic groups,” the authors wrote, challenging the assumption that these populations are at lower risk.
The findings underscore the importance of disaggregating data. Historically, AANHPI groups have been studied as a single category, masking critical disparities. For example, while 88% of Chinese American women with lung cancer had never smoked, only 16% of Native Hawaiian women with the disease were never-smokers.
The study also highlights the need for more research into environmental and genetic factors. Known risks like second-hand smoke, air pollution, and cooking oil fumes may play a role, but their specific impact on AANHPI women remains unclear.
By linking electronic health records with cancer registries, researchers were able to uncover these disparities and call for more targeted prevention and screening strategies.
See: “Incidence of Lung Cancer Among Never-Smoking Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander Females” (August 4, 2021)