Investigators have examined whether neighborhood violence may be associated with aggressive lung cancer in Black men, according to new findings presented at the Endocrine Society’s Annual Meeting & Exposition 2024.

Previous studies have shown that Black men may be more susceptible to lung cancer compared with White men. However, because Black men demonstrate lower rates of smoking than White men, they are often not eligible for lung cancer screening.

In the new study, the investigators used residential zip code and police record data to determine the exposure to neighborhood crime among 15 Black and non-Black patients from Chicago. They revealed that Black men more frequently resided in neighborhoods reporting higher levels of violence compared with non-Black men.

The investigators then collected samples of the patients’ lung tumors and healthy lung tissue to analyze how glucocorticoid receptors may bind to the DNA, regulate gene expression, and promote lung tumor growth. The cortisol-signaling pathways and cortisol levels in the hair of those who lived in high-violence neighborhoods were found to be higher, which correlated with greater gene expression in regions of the DNA linked to lung cancer aggressiveness. Additionally, men who lived in low-violence neighborhoods didn’t present with these DNA regions, representing a potential association between neighborhood violence and lung cancer aggressiveness.

The investigators hope to conduct larger studies to validate the need to incorporate neighborhood factors such as violence into lung cancer screening qualifications.

“This research uncovers a previously unknown link between exposure to neighborhood violence ... and lung tumor aggressiveness that can help us understand and fix the lung cancer health disparity seen in Black men," said a leading researcher in a statement.

No conflicts of interest were disclosed.