Cancer mortality in Europe, 2000-2004, and an overview of trends since 1975

Background: To update the pattern of cancer mortality in Europe. Materials and methods: We analysed cancer mortality in 34 European countries during 2000-2004, with an overview of trends in 1975-2004 using data from the World Health Organization. Results: From 1990-1994 to 2000-2004, overall cancer mortality in the European Union declined from 185.2 to 168.0/100 000 (world standard, −9%) in men and from 104.8 to 96.9 (−8%) in women, with larger falls in middle age. Total cancer mortality trends were favourable, though to a variable degree, in all major European countries, including Russia, but not in Romania. The major determinants of these favourable trends were the decline of lung (−16%) and other tobacco-related cancers in men, together with the persistent falls in gastric cancer, and the recent appreciable falls in colorectal cancer. In women, relevant contributions came from the persistent decline in cervical cancer and the recent falls in breast cancer mortality, particularly in northern and western Europe. Favourable trends were also observed for testicular cancer, Hodgkin lymphomas, leukaemias, and other neoplasms amenable to treatment, though the reductions were still appreciably smaller in eastern Europe. Conclusion: This updated analysis of cancer mortality in Europe showed a persistent favourable trend over the last year

Cancer mortality in the European Union, 1970-2003, with a joinpoint analysis

Background: Cancer mortality peaked in the European Union (EU) in the late 1980s and declined thereafter. Materials and methods: We analyzed EU cancer mortality data provided by the World Health Organization in 1970-2003, using joinpoint analysis. Results: Overall, cancer mortality levelled off in men since 1988 and declined in 1993-2003 (annual percent change, APC = −1.3%). In women, a steady decline has been observed since the early 1970s. The decline in male cancer mortality has been driven by lung cancer, which levelled off since the late 1980s and declined thereafter (APC = 2.7% in 1997-2003). Recent decreases were also observed for other tobacco-related cancers, as oral cavity/pharynx, esophagus, larynx and bladder, as well as for colorectal (APC = −0.9% in 1992-2003) and prostate cancers (APC = −1.0% in 1994-2003). In women, breast cancer mortality levelled off since the early 1990s and declined thereafter (APC = −1.0% in 1998-2003). Female mortality declined through the period 1970-2003 for colorectal and uterine cancer, while it increased over the last three decades for lung cancer (APC = 4.6% in 2001-2003). In both sexes, mortality declined in 1970-2003 for stomach cancer and for a few cancers amenable to treatment. Conclusion: This update analysis of the mortality from cancer in the EU shows favorable patterns over recent years in both sexe

A comparison of trends in mortality from primary liver cancer and intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma in Europe

Background To update and compare mortality from primary liver cancer (PLC) and intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (ICC) in Europe in 1990-2010. Materials and methods We used data from the World Health Organization (WHO) to compute age-standardized (world population) mortality rates, and used joinpoint analysis to identify substantial changes. Results Between 2002 and 2007, PLC rates in the European Union (EU) declined from 3.9 to 3.6/100 000 men. Around 2007, the highest male rates were in France (6.2/100 000), Spain (4.9), and Italy (4.0), while the lowest ones were in Sweden (1.1), the Netherlands (1.2), and the UK (1.8). In women, mortality was lower (0.8/100 000 in 2007 in the EU), and showed more favourable trends, with a decline of over 2% per year over the last two decades as compared with 0.4% in men, in the EU. In contrast, the EU mortality from ICC increased by around 9% in both sexes from 1990 to 2008, reaching rates of 1.1/100 000 men and 0.75/100 000 women. The highest rates were in UK, Germany, and France (1.2-1.5/100 000 men, 0.8-1.1/100 000 women). Conclusions PLC mortality has become more uniform across Europe over recent years, with an overall decline; in contrast, ICC mortality has substantially increased in most Europ

The decline in breast cancer mortality in Europe: An update (to 2009)

Bosetti, Cristina Bertuccio, Paola Levi, Fabio Chatenoud, Liliane Negri, Eva La Vecchia, Carlo eng Netherlands Edinburgh, Scotland 2011/09/13 06:00 Breast. 2012 Feb;21(1):77-82. doi: 10.1016/j.breast.2011.08.001. Epub 2011 Sep 8.; International audience; We updated trends in breast cancer mortality in Europe up to the late 2000's. In the EU, age-adjusted (world standard population) breast cancer mortality rates declined by 6.9% between 2002 and 2006, from 17.9 to 16.7/100,000. The largest falls were in northern European countries, but more recent declines were also observed in central and eastern Europe. In 2007, all major European countries had overall breast cancer rates between 15 and 19/100,000. In relative terms, the declines in mortality were larger at younger age (-11.6% at age 20-49 years between 2002 and 2007 in the EU), and became smaller with advancing age (-6.6% at age 50-69, -5.0% at age 70-79 years). The present report confirms and further quantifies the persisting steady fall in breast cancer mortality in Europe over the last 25-30 years, which is mainly due to advancements in the therapy

Trends in mortality from major cancers in the americas : 1980-2010

BACKGROUND: Between the 1970's and 2000 mortality in Latin America showed favorable trends for some common cancer sites, including stomach and male lung cancer in most countries. However, major concerns were related to mortality patterns from other cancers, particularly in women. We provide an up-to-date picture of patterns and trends in cancer mortality in Latin America. METHODS: We analyzed data from the World Health Organization mortality database in 2005-2009 for 20 cancer sites in 11 Latin American countries and, for comparative purposes, in the USA and Canada. We computed age-standardized (world) rates (per 100 000 person-year) and provided an overview of trends since 1980 using joinpoint regression models. RESULTS: Cancer mortality from some common cancers (including colorectum and lung) is still comparatively low in Latin America, and decreasing trends continue for some cancer sites (including stomach, uterus, male lung cancers) in several countries. However, there were upward trends for colorectal cancer for both sexes, and for women lung and breast cancer mortality in most countries. During the last decade, lung cancer mortality in women rose by 1-3% per year in all Latin American countries except Mexico and Costa Rica, whereas rises of about 1% were registered for breast cancer in Brazil, Colombia and Venezuela. Moreover, high mortality from cancer of the cervix uteri was recorded in most countries, with rates over 13/100 000 women in Cuba and Venezuela. In men, upward trends were registered in prostate cancer mortality in Brazil and Colombia, but also in Cuba, where the rate in 2005-2009 was more than twice that in the USA (23.6 versus 10/100 000). CONCLUSIONS: Tobacco control, efficient screening programs, early cancer detection and widespread access to treatments continue to be a major priority for most Latin American countries

Cancer mortality in Europe, 2005-2009, and an overview of trends since 1980

Background After a peak in the late 1980s, cancer mortality in Europe has declined by ∼10% in both sexes up to the early 2000s. We provide an up-to-date picture of patterns and trends in mortality from major cancers in Europe. Methods We analyzed cancer mortality data from the World Health Organization for 25 cancer sites and 34 European countries (plus the European Union, EU) in 2005-2009. We computed age-standardized rates (per 100 000 person-years) using the world standard population and provided an overview of trends since 1980 for major European countries, using joinpoint regression. Results Cancer mortality in the EU steadily declined since the late 1980s, with reductions by 1.6% per year in 2002-2009 in men and 1% per year in 1993-2009 in women. In western Europe, rates steadily declined over the last two decades for stomach and colorectal cancer, Hodgkin lymphoma, and leukemias in both sexes, breast and (cervix) uterine cancer in women, and testicular cancer in men. In central/eastern Europe, mortality from major cancer sites has been increasing up to the late 1990s/early 2000s. In most Europe, rates have been increasing for lung cancer in women and for pancreatic cancer and soft tissue sarcomas in both sexes, while they have started to decline over recent years for multiple myeloma. In 2005-2009, there was still an over twofold difference between the highest male cancer mortality in Hungary (235.2/100 000) and the lowest one in Sweden (112.9/100 000), and a 1.7-fold one in women (from 124.4 in Denmark to 71.0/100 000 in Spain). Conclusions With the major exceptions of female lung cancer and pancreatic cancer in both sexes, in the last quinquennium, cancer mortality has moderately but steadily declined across Europe. However, substantial differences across countries persist, requiring targeted interventions on risk factor control, early diagnosis, and improved management and pharmacological treatment for selected cancer site

Patterns and trends in esophageal cancer mortality and incidence in Europe (1980-2011) and predictions to 2015

Long-term decreasing trends were observed for male esophageal cancer mortality in several southern and western European countries, but less so in northern and eastern Europe; persisting favorable trends are predicted up to 2015. Among women mortality remained comparatively low. The observed trends are in accordance with variations in alcohol drinking, tobacco smoking and overweight across Europ

Does coffee protect against hepatocellular carcinoma?

We analysed the relation between coffee consumption and hepatocellular carcinoma in two case-control studies conducted between 1984 and 1998 in Italy and Greece, including 834 cases and 1912 controls. Compared to non coffee drinkers, the multivariate odds ratio was 0.7 for drinkers of three or more cups per day

Cruciferous vegetables and cancer risk in a network of case-control studies

Background Cruciferous vegetables have been suggested to protect against various cancers, though the issue is open to discussion. To further understand their role, we analyzed data from a network of case-control studies conducted in Italy and Switzerland. Patients and methods The studies included a total of 1468 cancers of the oral cavity/pharynx, 505 of the esophagus, 230 of the stomach, 2390 of the colorectum, 185 of the liver, 326 of the pancreas, 852 of the larynx, 3034 of the breast, 367 of the endometrium, 1031 of the ovary, 1294 of the prostate, 767 of the kidney, and 11492 controls. All cancers were incident, histologically confirmed; controls were subjects admitted to the same network of hospitals as cases for a wide spectrum of acute nonneoplastic conditions. Results The multivariate odds ratio (OR) for consumption of cruciferous vegetables at least once a week as compared with no/occasional consumption was significantly reduced for cancer of the oral cavity/pharynx (OR=0.83), esophagus (OR=0.72), colorectum (OR=0.83), breast (OR=0.83), and kidney (OR=0.68). The OR was below unity, but not significant, for stomach (OR=0.90), liver (OR=0.72), pancreatic (OR=0.90), laryngeal (OR=0.84), endometrial (OR=0.93), ovarian (OR=0.91), and prostate (OR=0.87) cancer. Conclusion This large series of studies provides additional evidence of a favorable effect of cruciferous vegetables on several common cancer