Cancer incidence estimates and mortality for the top five cancer in Colombia, 2007-2011

Abstract

Objective: To estimate incidence and mortality for 25 cancer sites in Colombia, for the period 2007-2011. Methods: Cases and age-standardized cancer incidence rates per 100,000 person-years were estimated based on incidence/mortality ratios in areas with a population-based cancer registry with published data in Cancer Incidence in Five Continents, volume X (Cali, Pasto, Bucaramanga and Manizales). Mortality age-standardized rates per 100,000 were based on official cause of death statistics. Cause of death statistics and population projections were provided by the National Administrative Department of Statistics (DANE). Incidence and mortality rates were calculated by department, cancer type and sex. Results: The annual number of expected cancer cases (all cancers combined) for the period 2007-2011 was 62,818 with a total of 32,653 deaths. A total of 1,322 new childhood cancer cases was expected (0-14 years). The most frequently diagnosed incident cancers were prostate (46.5 per 100,000 person-years) and breast (33.8 per 100,000 person-years) cancers. The highest cancer mortality rates were observed for males in stomach cancer (14.2) and for females for breast cancer (9.9). Conclusions: Colombia presented higher estimates of incidence and mortality for breast and prostate cancer, as well as a proportion of cancers related to infection such as stomach and cervical cancer. More than 50% of the cancer burdens were attributed to these neoplasms. Time trends in cancer incidence can only be reliably evaluated based on long-term information from high-quality population-based cancer registries.