Age-specific cancer rates: a bird's-eye view on progress

Ann Epidemiol. 2020 Aug:48:51-54.e1. doi: 10.1016/j.annepidem.2020.04.007. Epub 2020 May 6.

Abstract

Purpose: We aim to shed light on progress in cancer medicine through studying time trends in age-specific rates of cancer incidence and mortality over the last quarter century.

Methods: We analyzed age-specific incidence and mortality rates of all cancer sites combined using the high-quality population-based databases of Denmark, Finland, Norway, Sweden, and the Netherlands for the period 1990-2016.

Results: Over these 26 years, cancer incidence rates increased in all investigated countries irrespective of age by about 22%. By contrast, cancer mortality rates decreased across all ages, also by about 22%, except ages 80+ years in Denmark, Norway, and Sweden, where they remained unchanged. This pattern is consistent with earlier diagnoses and more effective treatments of cancer.

Conclusions: This bird's-eye view on cancer reveals substantive progress in cancer medicine.

Keywords: Age-specific rates; Cancer incidence; Cancer mortality; European cancer registries; Time trends.

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Age Distribution
  • Aged
  • Aged, 80 and over
  • Europe / epidemiology
  • Humans
  • Incidence
  • Male
  • Mass Screening
  • Middle Aged
  • Mortality / trends*
  • Neoplasms / classification
  • Neoplasms / diagnosis
  • Neoplasms / epidemiology*
  • Registries / statistics & numerical data*
  • Risk Factors
  • Socioeconomic Factors
  • Survival Analysis
  • Survival Rate