Objective
This study aimed to provide a realistic observation of survival by major site for 48,866 cancer patients treated at a tertiary cancer hospital in a rural area of China.
Methods
Patients ...with cancer registered between 2007 and 2017 in the Nantong rural area were followed up. The starting date for survival calculation was the date of the first diagnosis of cancer at the Nantong Tumor Hospital, and the closing date was December 31, 2020. Observed survival (OS) was analyzed according to ICD-10 site, sex, age, region, and hospitalization period using the life table method and compared using the Wilcoxon (Gehan) statistic.
Results
The overall 5-year OS rate was 40.48% for all 48,866 patients, 30.19% for males, and 51.90% for females. The top five cancer sites, accounting for 60.51% of the total cases, were the esophagus, lung, stomach, liver, and cervix, with 5-year OS rates of 33.72%, 18.64%, 32.10%, 19.04%, and 71.51%, respectively. The highest 5-year OS was observed in the thyroid (87.52%) and the lowest was in the pancreas (6.37%). Survival was significantly higher in younger patients than in older patients, with 5-year OSs of 69.26% and 19.84% in those aged 20-29 and 90-99 years, respectively. Five-year OSs improved significantly from 39.35% in 2007-2011 to 41.26% in 2012-2017.
Conclusion
Overall survival improved over the years, although the improvement at some sites was not significant. The observed survival varies from region to region, reflecting differences in the patterns of major sites, disparities in proportions of hospitalization, and demographic characteristics.
We sought to understand the role of stage at diagnosis in observed age disparities in colon cancer survival among people aged 50 to 99 years using population‐based cancer registry data from seven ...high‐income countries: Australia, Canada, Denmark, Ireland, New Zealand, Norway and the United Kingdom. We used colon cancer incidence data for the period 2010 to 2014. We estimated the 3‐year net survival, as well as the 3‐year net survival conditional on surviving at least 6 months and 1 year after diagnosis, by country and stage at diagnosis (categorised as localised, regional or distant) using flexible parametric excess hazard regression models. In all countries, increasing age was associated with lower net survival. For example, 3‐year net survival (95% confidence interval) was 81% (80‐82) for 50 to 64 year olds and 58% (56‐60) for 85 to 99 year olds in Australia, and 74% (73‐74) and 39% (39‐40) in the United Kingdom, respectively. Those with distant stage colon cancer had the largest difference in colon cancer survival between the youngest and the oldest patients. Excess mortality for the oldest patients with localised or regional cancers was observed during the first 6 months after diagnosis. Older patients diagnosed with localised (and in some countries regional) stage colon cancer who survived 6 months after diagnosis experienced the same survival as their younger counterparts. Further studies examining other prognostic clinical factors such as comorbidities and treatment, and socioeconomic factors are warranted to gain further understanding of the age disparities in colon cancer survival.
What's new?
Survival rates for colon cancer have improved over the past few decades. However, survival rates can vary by as much as 35% between younger and older patients. In this study, the authors found that this “age gap” occurred primarily within the first year after diagnosis. Stage at diagnosis also had a greater impact for older patients. Early diagnosis and individualized management should thus help to reduce early mortality in older patients. Further studies on additional prognostic factors such as comorbidities, etc., are also warranted.
Limited population‐based cancer registry data available in China until now has hampered efforts to inform cancer control policy. Following extensive efforts to improve the systematic cancer ...surveillance in this country, we report on the largest pooled analysis of cancer survival data in China to date. Of 21 population‐based cancer registries, data from 17 registries (n = 138,852 cancer records) were included in the final analysis. Cases were diagnosed in 2003–2005 and followed until the end of 2010. Age‐standardized relative survival was calculated using region‐specific life tables for all cancers combined and 26 individual cancers. Estimates were further stratified by sex and geographical area. The age‐standardized 5‐year relative survival for all cancers was 30.9% (95% confidence intervals: 30.6%‐31.2%). Female breast cancer had high survival (73.0%) followed by cancers of the colorectum (47.2%), stomach (27.4%), esophagus (20.9%), with lung and liver cancer having poor survival (16.1% and 10.1%), respectively. Survival for women was generally higher than for men. Survival for rural patients was about half that of their urban counterparts for all cancers combined (21.8% vs. 39.5%); the pattern was similar for individual major cancers except esophageal cancer. The poor population survival rates in China emphasize the urgent need for government policy changes and investment to improve health services. While the causes for the striking urban‐rural disparities observed are not fully understood, increasing access of health service in rural areas and providing basic health‐care to the disadvantaged populations will be essential for reducing this disparity in the future.
What's new?
Because it's difficult to create good public‐health policies without good population data, China has recently made efforts to improve its systematic recording of cancer data. This paper reports the largest pooled analysis of survival data in China, the first to include data from a wide range of geographical areas. They report the various survival rates for different cancers by age, gender, and locality. The most striking finding was that those living in rural residents had far lower survival rates than urban residents. This finding may prompt efforts to improve availability of cancer prevention and treatment in rural areas of China.
Background
Breast cancer is the most commonly diagnosed cancer and leading cause of cancer death among women worldwide but has patterns and trends which vary in different countries. This study aimed ...to evaluate the global patterns of breast cancer incidence and mortality and analyze its temporal trends for breast cancer prevention and control.
Methods
Breast cancer incidence and mortality data in 2020 were obtained from the GLOBOCAN online database. Continued data from the Cancer Incidence in Five Continents Time Trends, the International Agency for Research on cancer mortality and China National Central Cancer Registry were used to analyze the time trends from 2000 to 2015 through Joinpoint regression, and annual average percent changes of breast cancer incidence and mortality were calculated. Association between Human Development Index and breast cancer incidence and mortality were estimated by linear regression.
Results
There were approximately 2.3 million new breast cancer cases and 685,000 breast cancer deaths worldwide in 2020. Its incidence and mortality varied among countries, with the age‐standardized incidence ranging from the highest of 112.3 per 100,000 population in Belgium to the lowest of 35.8 per 100,000 population in Iran, and the age‐standardized mortality from the highest of 41.0 per 100,000 population in Fiji to the lowest of 6.4 per 100,000 population in South Korea. The peak age of breast cancer in some Asian and African countries were over 10 years earlier than in European or American countries. As for the trends of breast cancer, the age‐standardized incidence rates significantly increased in China and South Korea but decreased in the United States of America (USA) during 2000‐2012. Meanwhile, the age‐standardized mortality rates significantly increased in China and South Korea but decreased in the United Kingdom, the USA, and Australia during 2000 and 2015.
Conclusions
The global burden of breast cancer is rising fast and varies greatly among countries. The incidence and mortality rates of breast cancer increased rapidly in China and South Korea but decreased in the USA. Increased health awareness, effective prevention strategies, and improved access to medical treatment are extremely important to curb the snowballing breast cancer burden, especially in the most affected countries.
Recent advances in treating colorectal cancer (CRC) have increased the importance of multidisciplinary treatment. This study aimed to clarify trends in the treatment and survival of CRC using ...population-based cancer registry data in Japan. We analyzed the survival of CRC cases diagnosed from 1995 through 2015 from a population-based cancer registry of six prefectures. The year of diagnosis was classified into five periods, and the trends in the detailed categorization of treatments and survival were identified. We calculated net survival and excess hazard of death from cancer using data on 256,590 CRC patients. The use of laparoscopic surgery has been increasing since 2005 and accounts for the largest proportion of treatment types in the most recent period. Net survival of CRC patients diagnosed after 2005 remained high for laparoscopic surgery and endoscopic surgery (endoscopic mucosal resection or endoscopic submucosal dissection). There was an upward trend in treatment with chemotherapy in addition to open and laparoscopic surgery. Using the excess hazard ratio at the regional stage since 2005, there has been a significant improvement in survival in the younger age group and the rectum cancer group. By type of treatment, there was a tendency toward significant improvement in the open surgery + chemotherapy group. We clarified the trends in treating CRC and the associated trends in survival. Continuous survey based on population-based data helps monitor the impact of developments in treatment.
Cancer survival is an important indicator for evaluating cancer prognosis and cancer care outcomes. The incidence dates used in calculating survival differ between population-based registries and ...hospital-based registries. Studies examining the effects of the left truncation of incidence dates and delayed reporting on survival estimates are scarce in real-world applications.
Cancer cases hospitalized at Nantong Tumor Hospital during the years 2002-2017 were traced with their records registered in the Qidong Cancer Registry. Survival was calculated using the life table method for cancer patients with the first visit dates recorded in the hospital-based cancer registry (HBR) as the diagnosis date (
), those with the registered dates of population-based cancer (PBR) registered as the incidence date (
), and those with corrected dates when the delayed report dates were calibrated (
).
Among 2,636 cases, 1,307 had incidence dates registered in PBR prior to the diagnosis dates of the first hospitalization registered in HBR, while 667 cases with incidence dates registered in PBR were later than the diagnosis dates registered in HBR. The 5-year
,
, and
were 36.1%, 37.4%, and 39.0%, respectively. The "lost" proportion of 5-year survival due to the left truncation for HBR data was estimated to be between 3.5% and 7.4%, and the "delayed-report" proportion of 5-year survival for PBR data was found to be 4.1%.
Left truncation of survival in HBR cases was demonstrated. The pseudo-left truncation in PBR should be reduced by controlling delayed reporting and maximizing completeness. Our study provides practical references and suggestions for evaluating the survival of cancer patients with HBR and PBR.
We examined trends in childhood cancer incidence in sub‐Saharan Africa using data from two population‐based cancer registries in Harare (Zimbabwe) and Kyadondo (Uganda) with cases classified ...according to the International Classification of Childhood Cancer and explored reasons for observed variations and changes. Over the whole 25‐year period (1991‐2015) studied, there were only small, and nonsignificant overall trends in incidence. Nevertheless, within the period, peaks in incidence occurred from 1996 to 2001 in Harare (Zimbabwe) and from 2003 to 2006 in Kyadondo (Uganda). Kaposi sarcoma and non‐Hodgkin lymphoma accounted for the majority of the cases during these periods. These fluctuations in incidence rates in both registries can be linked to similar trends in the prevalence of HIV, and the availability of antiretroviral therapy. In addition, we noted that, in Harare, incidence rates dropped from 2003 to 2004 and 2007 to 2008, correlating with declines in national gross domestic product. The results indicate that the registration of childhood cancer cases in resource‐poor settings is linked to the availability of diagnostic services mediated by economic developments. The findings highlight the need for specialised diagnostic and treatment programmes for childhood cancer patients as well as positive effects of HIV programmes on certain childhood cancers.
What's new?
These authors tracked childhood cancer rates in sub‐Saharan Africa over a 25‐year period, from 1991 to 2015. They analyzed data collected in Harare, Zimbabwe, and Kyadondo, Uganda. Compared with high‐income countries, these regions had markedly lower rates of childhood cancers, particularly leukemia. The incidence did not trend upward or downward overall, but peaks in incidence corresponded with HIV prevalence, while dips coincided with decline in national GDP, when families might be unable to afford consultation and treatment. This data suggests it will be challenging to meet the WHO's target of over 60% childhood cancer survival by 2030.
Numerous publications have stated that metastases are responsible for 90% of cancer deaths, but data underlying this assertion has been lacking. Our objective was to determine what proportions of ...cancer deaths are caused by metastases. Population‐based data from the Cancer Registry of Norway for the years 2005‐2015 was analyzed. We compared all deaths in the Norwegian population where a cancer diagnosis was registered as cause of death. Deaths caused by cancer, with and without metastases, were analyzed, by sex and tumor group. For solid tumors, 66.7% of cancer deaths were registered with metastases as a contributing cause. Proportions varied substantially between tumor groups. Our data support the idea that the majority of deaths from solid tumors are caused by metastases. Thus, a better understanding of the biology of metastases and identification of druggable targets involved in growth at the metastatic site is a promising strategy to reduce cancer mortality.
In publications on cancer research, a common statement is that 90% of cancer deaths are caused by metastases, data underlying this assertion has been lacking. Using the nation‐wide, population based Norwegian Cancer Registry, we found that two of three of the deaths from solid tumors were registered with metastases as contributing cause of death, with substantial variation between tumor groups.
Abstract The present contribution reports childhood cancer incidence and survival rates as well as time trends and geographical variation. The report is based on the databases of population-based ...cancer registries which joined forces in cooperative projects such as Automated Childhood Cancer Information System (ACCIS) and EUROCARE. According to these data, which refer to the International Classification of Childhood Cancer, leukemias, at 34%, brain tumors, at 23%, and lymphomas, at 12%, represent the largest diagnostic groups among the under 15-year-olds. The most frequent single diagnoses are: acute lymphoblastic leukemia, astrocytoma, neuroblastoma, non-Hodgkin lymphoma, and nephroblastoma. There is considerable variation between countries. Incidence rates range from 130 (British Isles) to 160 cases (Scandinavian countries) per million children. Incidence rates have shown an increase over time since the mid of the last century. In Europe, the yearly increase averages 1.1% for the 1978–1997 period and ranges from 0.6% for the leukemias to 1.8% for soft-tissue sarcomas. The probability of survival has risen considerably over the past decades, with the EUROCARE data showing an improvement of the relative risk of death by 8% when comparing the 2000–2002 time span to the 1995–1999 period. Regarding the years 1995–2002, the data show an overall 5-year survival probability of 81% for Europe and similar values for the USA. The data presented here describe the cancer situation with a specific, European focus. They are drawn from population-based cancer registries that ensure excellent data quality, and as a consequence represent the most valid European population-based data existing at present. It is also apparent that not all countries have data available from nationwide childhood cancer registries, a situation which warrants further improvement.
Breast cancer was the most common cancer and the fifth cause of cancer deaths among women in China in 2015. The evaluation of the long-term incidence and mortality trends and the prediction of the ...future burden of breast cancer could provide valuable information for developing prevention and control strategies.
The burden of breast cancer in China in 2015 was estimated by using qualified data from 368 cancer registries from the National Central Cancer Registry. Incident cases and deaths in 22 cancer registries were used to assess the time trends from 2000 to 2015. A Bayesian age-period-cohort model was used to project the burden of breast cancer to 2030.
Approximately 303,600 new cases of breast cancer (205,100 from urban areas and 98,500 from rural areas) and 70,400 breast cancer deaths (45,100 from urban areas and 24,500 from rural areas) occurred in China in 2015. Urban regions of China had the highest incidence and mortality rates. The most common histological subtype of breast cancer was invasive ductal carcinoma, followed by invasive lobular carcinoma. The age-standardized incidence and mortality rates increased by 3.3% and 1.0% per year during 2000-2015, and were projected to increase by more than 11% until 2030. Changes in risk and demographic factors between 2015 and 2030 in cases are predicted to increase by approximately 13.3% and 22.9%, whereas deaths are predicted to increase by 13.1% and 40.9%, respectively.
The incidence and mortality of breast cancer continue to increase in China. There are no signs that this trend will stop by 2030, particularly in rural areas. Effective breast cancer prevention strategies are therefore urgently needed in China.