The trajectory of lung cancer patients in Western Australia—A data linkage study: Still a grim tale

ObjectiveTo plot the trajectory of lung cancer patients by linking multiple data sources in Western Australia.DesignDatabase survey, data linkage and postal survey.SettingWestern Australia.ParticipantsLung cancer patients registered on the cancer registry database of Western Australia, April 2006 to March 2007.Main outcome measuresMorbidity, mortality, and medical procedures.Results950 lung cancer patients were registered on the cancer registry database from April 2006 to March 2007. Sixty five percent were male with a mean age at diagnosis of 70 years (SD 11 years). Approximately 30% were from regional and remote areas of Western Australia. 76% reported a history of smoking, with a mean of 41 pack-years per smoker. One