Understanding Population-Based Site-Specific Cancer Incidence Rates in the USA

As compared with conventionally reported national population-based incidence rates, incidence rates better represent the ??burden?? of disease if they remove prevalent cases from the denominator. In order to reflect the ??risk?? in a disease-free population, rates should both exclude prevalent cases from the denominator and second or later diagnosed cases at the same site from the numerator. Five common cancers were evaluated through a correction method using 2005?C2007 Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results Program data to determine the extent of difference between conventional and corrected incidence rates. These corrections lowered the incidence rates 4.0?C5.8% for female breast cancer, 4.6?C7.6% for melanoma, 3.0?C4.0% for colorectal cancer, and 2.1?C2.5% for lung and bronchus cancer. Corrected incidence rates for prostate cancer were 9.9?C13.7% higher. In cancers with either high prevalence and/or high occurrence of multiple primaries at the same site, corrected population-based incidence rates are warranted.