The study, published in The Lancet Regional Health - Europe, which is the largest of its kind analysed health records of over 17.5 million people and more than 84,000 lung cancer cases, found that Bangladeshi men had the highest rates of lung cancer, while people from the most deprived areas developed the disease at twice the rate of those from affluent areas.
Among those who developed lung cancer, people from deprived areas had a 35% higher risk of being diagnosed with more aggressive forms of the disease.
Researchers from Oxford's Nuffield Department of Primary Care Health Sciences found clear evidence that different ethnic groups show distinct patterns of lung cancer types, with important implications for screening and early detection.
Professor Julia Hippisley-Cox, senior author of the study, said: 'This research provides the strongest evidence yet of how your ethnic background and social circumstances affect both your risk of developing lung cancer and the type of cancer you may develop. These findings are particularly timely as the NHS rolls out its targeted lung cancer screening programme.'
Read the full story on the University of Oxford website.