Continuing declines in cancer mortality in the European Union.

BACKGROUND: From 1988 to 1997 age-standardised total cancer mortality rates in the European Union (EU) fell by around 9% in both sexes. Available cancer mortality data in Europe up to 2002 allow a first check of the forecast of further declines in cancer mortality. PATIENTS AND METHODS: We considered trends in age-standardised mortality from major cancer sites in the EU during the period 1980-2002. RESULTS: For men, total cancer mortality, after a peak of 191.1/100,000 in 1987 declined to 177.8 in 1997 (-7%), and to 166.5 in 2002. Corresponding figures for females were 107.9/100,000, 100.5 and 95.2, corresponding to falls of 7% from 1987 to 1997, and to 5% from 1997 to 2002. Over the last 5 years, lung cancer declined by 1.9% per year in men, to reach 44.4/100,000, but increased by 1.7% in women, to reach 11.4. In 2002, for the first year, lung cancer mortality in women was higher than that for intestinal cancer (11.1/100,000), and lung cancer became the second site of cancer deaths in women after breast (17.9/100,000). From 1997 to 2002, appreciable declines were observed in mortality from intestinal cancer in men (-1.6% per year, to reach 18.8/100,000), and in women (-2.5%), as well as for breast (-1.7% per year) and prostate cancer (-1.4%). CONCLUSIONS: Despite the persisting rises in female lung cancer, the recent trends in cancer mortality in the EU are encouraging and indicate that an 11% reduction in total cancer mortality from 2000 to 2015 is realistic and possible.     

Trends in laryngeal cancer mortality in Europe

After a steady increase since the 1950s, laryngeal cancer mortality had tended to level off since the early 1980s in men from most European countries. To update trends in laryngeal cancer mortality in Europe, age-standardized (world standard) mortality rates per 100,000 were derived from the WHO mortality database for 33 European countries over the period 1980-2001. Jointpoint analysis was used to identify significant changes in mortality rates. In the European Union (EU) as a whole, male mortality declined by 0.8% per year between 1980 and 1989, by 2.8% between 1989 and 1995, by 5.3% between 1995 and 1998, and by 1.5% thereafter (rates were 5.1/100,000 in 1980-1981 and 3.3/100,000 in 2000-2001). This mainly reflects a decrease in rates in men from western and southern European countries, which had exceedingly high rates in the past. Male laryngeal mortality rose up to the early 1990s, and leveled off thereafter in several countries from central and eastern Europe. In 2000-2001 there was still a 10-15-fold variation in male laryngeal mortality between the highest rates in Croatia (7.9/100,000) and Hungary (7.7/100,000) and the lowest ones in Sweden (0.5/100,000) and Finland (0.8/100,000). Laryngeal cancer mortality was comparatively low in women from most European countries, with stable rates around 0.3/100,000 in the EU as a whole over the last 2 decades. Laryngeal cancer trends should be interpreted in terms of patterns and changes in exposure to alcohol and tobacco. Despite recent declines, the persistence of a wide variability in male laryngeal cancer mortality indicates that there is still ample scope for prevention of laryngeal cancer in Europe.     

Laryngeal cancer mortality trends in European countries

After a steady increase between the 1950s and the 1970s, laryngeal cancer mortality has been levelling off since the early 1980s in men from most western and southern European countries and since the early 1990s in central and eastern Europe. To update trends in laryngeal cancer mortality, we analyzed data provided by the World Health Organization over the last two decades for 34 European countries and the European Union (EU) as a whole. For major European countries, we also identified significant changes in trends between 1980 and 2012 using joinpoint regression analysis. Male mortality in the EU was approximately constant between 1980 and 1991 (annual percent change, APC=?0.5%) and declined by 3.3% per year in 1991–2012. EU age‐standardized (world population) rates were 4.7/100,000 in 1990–91 and 2.5/100,000 in 2010–2011. Rates declined in most European countries, particularly over the last two decades. In 2010–11, the highest male rates were in Hungary, the Republic of Moldova, and Romania (over 6/100,000), and the lowest ones in Finland, Norway, Sweden, and Switzerland (below 1/100,000). In EU women, mortality was stable around 0.29/100,000 between 1980 and 1994 and slightly decreased thereafter (APC=?1.3%; 0.23/100,000 in 2000–01). We also considered male incidence trends for nine European countries or cancer registration areas. In most of them, declines were observed over recent decades. Laryngeal cancer mortality thus showed favourable trends over the last few decades in most Europe, following favourable changes in tobacco and, mostly for Mediterranean countries, alcohol consumption.     

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

BackgroundAfter 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.MethodsWe 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.ResultsCancer 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).ConclusionsWith 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 sites.     

Cancer mortality in Europe in 2015 and an overview of trends since 1990

BackgroundCancer mortality in Europe has been decreasing since the late 1980s or 1990s in some countries with different patterns in many areas. In this study, we updated trends in cancer mortality in Europe.Materials and methodsWe extracted data from the World Health Organization mortality database for 24 cancer sites, 36 European countries and the European Union (EU) as a whole over the 1990–2017 period. We computed age-standardized death rates per 100 000 person-years, and we carried out a joinpoint regression analysis of mortality trends from all cancers and selected major neoplasms. The estimated annual percent change (APC) for each identified linear segment, and the weighted average APC (AAPC) over the entire study period were provided as summary measures of the changes in rates over the time period.ResultsIn 2015, the age-standardized mortality rates from all cancers in the EU were 137.5 deaths per 100 000 in men and 85.7 in women. Eastern European countries showed the highest rates with values over 150 deaths per 100 000 in men and over 100 deaths per 100 000 in women. Mortality from all cancers in the EU declined annually by 1.5% in men since 2006 and by 0.8% in women since 2007. Most cancer sites showed decreasing trends, with steady declines over the whole period for cancers of stomach, intestines, lung in men, breast and prostate. Unfavourable mortality trends persisted for cancers of liver, lung in women, pancreas, besides skin and kidney in men.ConclusionsThe downward trends in total cancer mortality in Europe still continue over the last decade. However, the trends were less favourable in most eastern European countries. Tobacco control in men (but not in women), improvements in diagnosis and therapy were the main underlying factors of these trends.     

Trends in cancer mortality in the European Union and accession countries, 1980-2000.

Cancer mortality rates and trends over the period 1980-2000 for accession countries to the European Union (EU) in May 2004, which include a total of 75 million inhabitants, were abstracted from the World Health Organization (WHO) database, together with, for comparative purposes, those of the current EU. Total cancer mortality for men was 166/100,000 in the EU, but ranged between 195 (Lithuania) and 269/100,000 (Hungary) in central and eastern European accession countries. This excess related to most cancer sites, including lung and other tobacco-related neoplasms, but also stomach, intestines and liver, and a few neoplasms amenable to treatment, such as testis, Hodgkin's disease and leukaemias. Overall cancer mortality for women was 95/100,000 in the EU, and ranged between 100 and 110/100,000 in several central and eastern European countries, and up to 120/100,000 in the Czech Republic and 138/100,000 in Hungary. The latter two countries had a substantial excess in female mortality for lung cancer, but also for several other sites. Furthermore, for stomach and especially (cervix) uteri, female rates were substantially higher in central and eastern European accession countries. Over the last two decades, trends in mortality were systematically less favourable in accession countries than in the EU. Most of the unfavourable patterns and trends in cancer mortality in accession countries are due to recognised, and hence potentially avoidable, causes of cancer, including tobacco, alcohol, dietary habits, pollution and hepatitis B, plus inadequate screening, diagnosis and treatment. Consequently, the application of available knowledge on cancer prevention, diagnosis and treatment may substantially reduce the disadvantage now registered in the cancer mortality of central and eastern European accession countries.     

Recent trends in colorectal cancer mortality in Europe

Colorectal cancer mortality has been declining over the last two decades in Europe, particularly in women, the trends being, however, different across countries and age groups. We updated to 2007 colorectal cancer mortality trends in Europe using data from the World Health Organization (WHO). Rates were analyzed for the overall population and separately in young, middle‐age and elderly populations. In the European Union (EU), between 1997 and 2007 mortality from colorectal cancer declined by around 2% per year, from 19.7 to 17.4/100,000 men (world standardized rates) and from 12.5 to 10.5/100,000 women. Persisting favorable trends were observed in countries of western and northern Europe, while there were more recent declines in several countries of eastern Europe, including the Czech Republic, Hungary and Slovakia particularly in women (but not Romania and the Russian Federation). In 2007, a substantial excess in colorectal cancer mortality was still observed in Slovakia, Hungary, Croatia, the Czech Republic and Slovenia in men (rates over 25/100,000), and in Hungary, Norway, Denmark and Slovakia in women (rates over 14/100,000). Colorectal mortality trends were more favorable in the young (30–49 years) from most European countries, with a decline of ～2% per year since the early 1990s in both men and women from the EU. The recent decreases in colorectal mortality rates in several European countries are likely due to improvements in (early) diagnosis and treatment, with a consequent higher survival from the disease. Interventions to further reduce colorectal cancer burden are, however, still warranted, particularly in eastern European countries.     

The oral cancer epidemic in central and eastern Europe

To monitor recent trends in oral and pharyngeal cancer mortality in 38 European countries, we analyzed data provided by the World Health Organization over the period 1975–2004. Joinpoint analysis was used to identify significant changes in trends. In the European Union (EU), male mortality rates rose by 2.1% per year between 1975 and 1984, by 1.0% between 1984 and 1993, and declined by 1.3% between 1993 and 2004, to reach an overall age‐standardized rate of 6.1/100,000 in 2000–2004. Mortality rates were much lower in women, and the rate in the EU rose by 0.9% per year up to 2000, and levelled off to 1.1/100,000 in 2000–2004. In France and Italy—which had the highest rates in the past—male rates have steadily declined during the last two decades (annual percent change, APC = ?4.8% in 1998–2004 in France and ?2.6% in 1986–2003 in Italy). Persisting rises were, however, observed in several central and eastern European countries, with exceedingly high rates in Hungary (21.1/100,000; APC = 6.9% in 1975–1993 and 1.4% in 1993–2004) and Slovakia (16.9/100,000; APC = 0.14% in 1992–2004). In middle aged (35 to 64) men, oral and pharyngeal cancer mortality rates in Hungary (55.3/100,000) and Slovakia (40.8/100,000) were comparable to lung cancer rates in several major European countries. The highest rates for women were in Hungary (3.3/100,000; APC = 4.7% in 1975–2004) and Denmark (1.6/100,000; APC = 1.3% in 1975–2001). Oral and pharyngeal cancer mortality essentially reflects the different patterns in tobacco smoking and alcohol drinking, including drinking patterns and type of alcohol in central Europe.     

Trends in lung cancer among young European women: the rising epidemic in France and Spain

Lung cancer mortality in young women in the European Union (EU) has steadily increased until the mid 1990 s and has levelled off thereafter, but trends have been heterogeneous in various countries. We analyzed therefore age-standardized trends in lung cancer mortality in young women (20-44) for the 6 major European countries, using joinpoint regression. In the early 1970s the highest lung cancer mortality in young women was in the UK (2.1/100,000). UK rates, however, steadily declined and in 2000-2004 they were the lowest of all 6 major EU countries (1.2/100,000). The second lowest rate in 2000-2002 was in Italy, whose rates remained around 1.1/100,000 between 1970 and 1994, and increased to 1.4 thereafter. In Germany and Poland, lung cancer rates in young women rose from 0.8-1.0/100,000 in the early 1970s to 1.7-1.9 in the mid 1990 s and levelled off during the last decade. Major rises over recent years were observed in France (from 0.8/100,000 in 1985-1989 to 2.2 in 2000-2003) and in Spain (from 0.8 in the 1985-1989 to 1.7 in 2000-2004). Thus, France showed both the highest rate observed over the last 3 decades and the largest rise over the last 2 decades. Since recent trends in the young give relevant information to the likely future trends in middle age, the female lung cancer epidemic is likely to expand in southern Europe from the current rates of 5.0/100,000 in Spain and 7.7 in France to approach 20/100,000 within the next 2-3 decades. Urgent interventions for smoking cessation in women are therefore required.     

Lung cancer mortality in European women: recent trends and perspectives

Background: Lung cancer mortality in men has been decliningsince the late 1980s in most European countries. In women, althoughrates are still appreciably lower than those for men, steadyupward trends have been observed in most countries. To quantifythe current and future lung cancer epidemic in European women,trends in lung cancer mortality in women over the last fourdecades were analyzed, with specific focus on the young. Patients and methods: Age-standardized (world standard) lungcancer mortality rates per 100 000 women—at all ages,and truncated 35–64 and 20–44 years—were derivedfrom the WHO for the European Union (EU) as a whole and for33 separate European countries. Joinpoint regression analysiswas used to identify points where a significant change in trendsoccurred. Results: In the EU overall, female lung cancer mortality ratesrose by 23.8% between 1980–1981 and 1990–1991 (from7.8 to 9.6/100 000), and by 16.1% thereafter, to reach the valueof 11.2/100 000 in 2000–2001. Increases were smaller inthe last decade in several countries. Only in England and Wales,Latvia, Lithuania, Russia and Ukraine did female lung cancermortality show a decrease over the last decade. In several Europeancountries, a decline in lung cancer mortality in young women(20–44 years) was observed over the last decade. Conclusions: Although female lung cancer mortality is stillincreasing in most European countries, the more favorable trendsin young women over recent calendar years suggest that if effectiveinterventions to control tobacco smoking in women are implemented,the lung cancer epidemic in European women will not reach thelevels observed in the USA. Key words: Europe, lung cancer, mortality, trends, women     

Declining mortality from kidney cancer in Europe.

Mortality rates from kidney cancer increased throughout Europe up until the late 1980s or early 1990s. Trends in western European countries, the European Union (EU) and selected central and eastern European countries have been updated using official death certification data for kidney cancer abstracted from the World Health Organisation (WHO) database over the period 1980-1999. In EU men, death rates increased from 3.92 per 100,000 (age standardised, world standard) in 1980-81 to 4.63 in 1994-95, and levelled off at 4.15 thereafter. In women, corresponding values were 1.86 in 1980-81, 2.04 in 1994-95 and 1.80 in 1998-99. Thus, the fall in kidney cancer mortality over the last 5 years was over 10% for both sexes in the EU. The largest falls were in countries with highest mortality in the early 1990s, such as Germany, Denmark and the Netherlands. Kidney cancer rates levelled off, but remained very high, in the Czech Republic, Baltic countries, Hungary, Poland and other central European countries. Thus, in the late 1990s, a greater than three-fold difference in kidney cancer mortality was observed between the highest rates in the Czech Republic, the Baltic Republics and Hungary, and the lowest ones in Romania, Portugal and Greece. Tobacco smoking is the best recognised risk factor for kidney cancer, and the recent trends in men, mainly in western Europe, can be related to a reduced prevalence of smoking among men. Tobacco, however, cannot account for the recent trends registered in women.     

Trends in cancer mortality in the Americas, 1970-2000.

BACKGROUND: Data and statistics on cancer mortality over the last decades are available for most developed countries, while they are more difficult to obtain, in a standardized and comparable format, for countries of Latin America. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Age standardized (world population) mortality rates around the year 2000, derived from the WHO database, are presented for 14 selected cancers and total cancer in 10 countries of Latin America, plus, for comparative purposes, Canada and the USA. Trends in mortality are also given over the period 1970-2000. RESULTS: In 2000, the highest total cancer mortality for males was observed in Argentina and Chile, with rates comparable to those of Canada and the USA, i.e. about 155/100,000. For women, Chile and Cuba had the highest rates in Latin America (114 and 103/100,000, respectively), again comparable to those of North America (around 105/100,000). These reflect the comparatively high mortality from cancer of the stomach (for Chile), lung and intestines (for Argentina) in men, and of stomach and uterus (for Chile), intestines and lung (for Cuba) in women. Colombia, Ecuador and Mexico had the lowest total cancer mortality for men, due to low mortality from stomach, colorectal and lung cancer. For women, the lowest rates were in Brazil and Puerto Rico, reflecting their low stomach and cervical cancer rates. In Argentina, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica and Venezuela cancer mortality rates tended to decline, particularly in men. Rates were stable in Ecuador and Puerto Rico, and were increasing in Mexico and Cuba. CONCLUSIONS: Mortality from some common cancers (including colorectal and lung) is still low in Latin America compared with Canada and the USA, and decreasing trends have been observed in the last decades for some cancer sites (including stomach, uterus, lung and other tobacco-related cancers) in several countries. However, mortality from female lung and breast cancers has been increasing in most countries of Latin America, and several countries still show an extremely elevated mortality from cancer of the cervix. Selected neoplasms amenable to treatment, including testis and leukemias, also show unsatisfactory trends in Latin America.     

Pancreatic cancer: overview of descriptive epidemiology

Pancreatic cancer mortality rates have been increasing in high-income countries between the 1950s and the 1980s, and have leveled off or declined thereafter, particularly in men. To provide a global overview of recent pancreatic cancer mortality, we analyzed official death of the world certification data derived from the World Health Organization for 35 European countries and 19 other countries over the period 1980-2007. In 2007, the highest mortality rates from pancreatic cancer were in the Baltic countries, and some central/eastern and northern European countries (over 9.5/100?000 men and 6/100?000 women), whereas the lowest ones were in Latin America and Hong Kong (below 5/100?000 men and 3/100?000 women). Japan, the USA, Russia and the European Union (EU), as well as the largest countries in the EU, had rates around 7-9/100?000 men and 5-6/100?000 women. In the early 2000s, rates have been approximately stable in many European countries, as in the USA, Japan, and Australia. In Nordic countries and the UK, where declines in rates have been observed between the 1980s and the 1990s, mortality from pancreatic cancer has tended to rise over most recent calendar years. Some persisting rises were still found in men from a few countries of southern and central/eastern Europe (with low rates in the past), as well as in the EU overall, and in women from European and Asian countries. Recent trends were generally more favorable in young adults (30-49?yr), suggesting that overall trends are likely to improve in the near future.     

Trends in oesophageal cancer incidence and mortality in Europe

To monitor recent trends in mortality from oesophageal cancer in 33 European countries, we analyzed the data provided by the World Health Organization over the last 2 decades, using also joinpoint regression. For selected European cancer registration areas, we also analyzed incidence rates for different histological types. For men in the European Union (EU), age-standardized (world population) mortality rates were stable around 6/100,000 between the early 1980s and the early 1990 s, and slightly declined in the last decade (5.4/100,000 in the early 2000s, annual percent change, APC = -1.1%). In several western European countries, male rates have started to level off or decline during the last decade (APC = -3.4% in France, and -3.0% in Italy). Also in Spain and the UK, which showed upward trends in the 1990 s, the rates tended to level off in most recent years. A levelling of rates was observed only more recently in countries of central and eastern Europe, which had had substantial rises up to the late 1990 s. Oesophageal cancer mortality rates remained comparatively low in European women, and overall EU female rates were stable around 1.1-1.2/100,000 over the last 2 decades (APC = -0.1%). In northern Europe a clear upward trend was observed in the incidence of oesophageal adenocarcinoma, and in Denmark and Scotland incidence of adenocarcinoma in men is now higher than that of squamous-cell carcinoma. Squamous-cell carcinoma remained the prevalent histological type in southern Europe. Changes in smoking habits and alcohol drinking for men, and perhaps nutrition, diet and physical activity for both sexes, can partly or largely explain these trends.     

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

BackgroundOver the last few decades, esophageal cancer incidence and mortality trends varied substantially across Europe, with important differences between sexes and the two main histological subtypes, squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) and adenocarcinoma (EAC).Patients and methodsTo monitor recent esophageal cancer mortality trends and to compute short-term predictions in the European Union (EU) and selected European countries, we analyzed data provided by the World Health Organization (WHO) for 1980–2011. We also analyzed incidence trends and relative weights of ESCC and EAC across Europe using data from Cancer Incidence in Five Continents.ResultsLong-term decreasing trends were observed for male esophageal cancer mortality in several southern and western European countries, whereas in central Europe mortality increased until the mid-1990s and started to stabilize or decline over the last years. In some eastern and northern countries, the rates were still increasing. Mortality among European women remained comparatively low and showed stable or decreasing trends in most countries. Between 2000–2004 and 2005–2009, esophageal cancer mortality declined by 7% (from 5.34 to 4.99/100 000) in EU men, and by 3% (from 1.12 to 1.09/100 000) in EU women. Predictions to 2015 show persistent declines in mortality rates for men in the EU overall, and stable rates for EU women, with rates for 2015 of 4.5/100 000 men (about 22 300 deaths) and 1.1/100 000 women (about 7400 deaths). In northern Europe, EAC is now the predominant histological type among men, while for European women ESCC is more common and corresponding rates are still increasing in several countries.Conclusion(s)The observed trends reflect the variations in alcohol drinking, tobacco smoking and overweight across European countries.     

Childhood cancer mortality in Europe, 1970–2007

To update trends in childhood cancer mortality in Europe, we analysed mortality data derived from the World Health Organization for all childhood neoplasms, bone and kidney cancers, non-Hodgkin’s lymphomas (NHL) and leukaemias, in 30 European countries up to 2007. Between 1990–1994 and 2005–2007, mortality from all neoplasms steadily declined in most European countries (from 5.2 to 3.5/100,000 boys and from 4.3 to 2.8/100,000 girls in the European Union, EU). In 2005–2007, however, mortality rates from childhood cancers were still higher in countries from Eastern (4.9/100,000 boys and 3.9/100,000 girls) and Southern (4.0/100,000 boys and 3.1/100,000 girls) Europe than in those from Western (3.1/100,000 boys and 2.5/100,000 girls) and Northern (3.2/100,000 boys and 2.5/100,000 girls) Europe. Similar temporal trends and geographic patterns were observed for leukaemias, with declines from 1.7 to 0.9/100,000 boys and from 1.3 to 0.7/100,000 girls between 1990–1994 and 2005–2007 in the EU. For kidney cancer and NHL mortality rates were low and have been declining in larger European countries over the last 15 years. The pattern of trends was less clear for bone cancer, with no systematic downward trends at age 0–14, though some fall was evident at age 15–19. Thus, mortality from childhood cancer continued to decline over more recent years in most European countries. However, the mortality rates in Eastern – but also Southern – European countries in the mid 2000’s were similar to those in the Western and Northern European ones in the early 1990’s. Some further improvement in childhood cancer mortality is therefore achievable through more widespread and better adoption of currently available treatments.     

Trends in mortality from major cancers in the Americas: 1980–2010

BackgroundBetween the 1970s and 2000 mortality in most of Latin America showed favorable trends for some common cancer sites, including stomach and male lung cancer. 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.MethodsWe 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 population) rates (per 100 000 person-year) and provided an overview of trends since 1980 using joinpoint regression models.ResultsCancer mortality from some common cancers (including colorectum and lung) is still comparatively low in Latin America, and decreasing trends continue for other cancer sites (including stomach, uterus, male lung cancers) in several countries. However, there were upward trends for colorectal cancer mortality for both sexes, and for lung and breast cancer mortality in women from 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 for prostate cancer mortality in Brazil and Colombia, but also in Cuba, where the rate in 2005–2009 was more than twice that of the USA (23.6 versus 10/100 000).ConclusionsTobacco control, efficient screening programs, early cancer detection and widespread access to treatments continue to be a major priority for cancer prevention in most Latin American countries.     

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 dataprovided by the World Health Organization in 1970–2003,using joinpoint analysis. Results: Overall, cancer mortality levelled off in men since1988 and declined in 1993–2003 (annual percent change,APC = –1.3%). In women, a steady decline has been observedsince the early 1970s. The decline in male cancer mortalityhas been driven by lung cancer, which levelled off since thelate 1980s and declined thereafter (APC = 2.7% in 1997–2003).Recent decreases were also observed for other tobacco-relatedcancers, 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 early1990s and declined thereafter (APC = –1.0% in 1998–2003).Female mortality declined through the period 1970–2003for colorectal and uterine cancer, while it increased over thelast three decades for lung cancer (APC = 4.6% in 2001–2003).In both sexes, mortality declined in 1970–2003 for stomachcancer and for a few cancers amenable to treatment. Conclusion: This update analysis of the mortality from cancerin the EU shows favorable patterns over recent years in bothsexes. Key words: cancer, European Union, mortality, trends Received for publication October 25, 2007. Revision received November 26, 2007. Accepted for publication December 14, 2007.     

The recent decline in gallbladder cancer mortality in Europe.

Mortality from gallbladder cancer has been traditionally high in Eastern Europe, and lower in northern countries. Trends in 18 European countries, including the European Union (EU) and selected Eastern European countries, have been updated using official death certification data abstracted from the WHO database over the period 1980-1999. In the EU, age-standardized rates declined by about 30% between the late 1980s and 1999 to reach 1.8/100 000 for women, and by about 10% to reach 1.4/100 000 for men. In the Czech Republic and Hungary, rates for women were over 6/100 000 until the early 1990s, and declined by about 25% thereafter. For males, gallbladder cancer mortality showed no consistent trend, with rates over 3/100 000. Thus, a high mortality area from gallbladder cancer is still evident for both sexes in Central and Eastern Europe. The trends in mortality from gallbladder cancer are probably influenced by changes in risk factor exposure, such as diet, nutrition or tobacco, but essentially reflect more widespread and earlier adoption of cholecystectomy in the EU, since gallstones are the major risk factor for gallbladder cancer. The data also indicate the scope for further improvement of the management of gallbladder disease in Eastern Europe.     

Monitoring falls in gastric cancer mortality in Europe.

We have considered trends in age-standardized mortality from gastric cancer in 25 individual European countries, as well as in the European Union (EU) as a whole, in six selected central-eastern European countries and in the Russian Federation over the period 1950-1999. Steady and persisting falls in rates were observed, and the fall between 1980 and 1999 was approximately 50% in the EU, 45% in eastern Europe and 40% in Russia. However, the declines were greater in Russia and eastern Europe, since rates were much higher, in absolute terms. Joinpoint regression analysis indicated that the falls were proportionally greater in the last decade for men (-3.83% per year in the EU) and in the last 25 years for women (-3.67% per year in the EU) than in previous calendar years. Moreover, steady declines in gastric cancer mortality were observed in the middle-aged and the young population as well, suggesting that they are likely to persist in the near future. In terms of number of deaths avoided, however, the impact of the decline in gastric cancer mortality will be smaller, particularly in the EU.