Clinical characteristics and medical service utilization of lung cancer in China, 2005–2014: Overall design and results from a multicenter retrospective epidemiologic survey

Abstract Objectives This study aimed to explore the clinical profile and its trajectory of lung cancer on clinicopathological characteristics and medical service utilization in China. Methods Patients diagnosed with primary lung cancer in tertiary hospitals during 2005–14 were selected from seven geographic regions of China. Data on clinical characteristics and medical service utilization was extracted from medical record, and the ten-year trends were explored. Results A total of 7184 patients were included, the mean age was 58.3 years and the male-to-female-ratio was 2.7. From 2005 to 2014, the proportion of ≥60 year-old patients increased from 41.2% to 56.2% (p  Conclusions The sustaining high smoking exposure, increasing proportion of female patients, advancing clinical stage, shifting of predominant pathology and increasing medical expenditure demonstrate potential challenges and directions on lung cancer preventionand control in China. Despite substantial changes of clinical characteristics, main treatment options remained unchanged, which needs further investigation.