African American Families and Lung Cancer Study This study will
learn more about the beliefs of family members of African
American patients with lung cancer and whether these beliefs are
associated with their interest in genetic testing for disease
risk and willingness to participate in genetics research. Lung
cancer is the second most common form of cancer and the leading
cause of cancer deaths for men and women in the United States.
Like most cancers, there are racial and ethnic disparities
(gaps) in lung cancer cases and deaths. The age-adjusted rates
for blacks and whites (years 2000 to 2003) was 76.9 per 100,000
and 66.0 per 100,000, respectively. Mortality rates were 62.5
per 100,000 for blacks and 55.3 per 100,000 for whites.
Cigarette smoking is the most preventable cause of lung cancer.
Findings are that African Americans begin smoking at older ages
and smoke fewer cigarettes per day than Caucasian Americans do.
Yet the severity of lung cancer is greater for African
Americans. Behavioral, social, env