Cancer prevalence in United States, Nordic Countries, Italy, Australia, and France: an analysis of geographic variability

Abstract

Background:The objectives of this study were to quantitatively assess the geographic heterogeneity of cancer prevalence in selected Western Countries and to explore the associations between its determinants.Methods:For 20 cancer sites, 5-year cancer prevalence, incidence, and survival were observed and age standardised for the mid 2000s in the United States, Nordic European Countries, Italy, Australia, and France.Results:In Italy, 5-year crude prevalence for all cancers was 1.9% in men and 1.7% in women, while it was ∼1.5% in all other countries and sexes. After adjustment for the different age distribution of the populations, cancer prevalence in the United States was higher (20% in men and 10% in women) than elsewhere. For all cancers combined, the geographic heterogeneities were limited, though relevant for specific cancers (e.g., prostate, showing >30% higher prevalence in the United States, or lung, showing >50% higher prevalence in USA women than in other countries). For all countries, the correlations between differences of prevalence and differences of incidence were >0.9, while prevalence and survival were less consistently correlated.Conclusion:Geographic differences and magnitude of crude cancer prevalence were more strongly associated with incidence rates, influenced by population ageing, than with survival rates. These estimates will be helpful in allocating appropriate resources.

Total and partial cancer prevalence in the adult French population in 2008

“…Another indicator, called partial prevalence, is thus needed. It is used for a more accurate determination of prevalent cases that need specialized healthcare [ 2 - 5 ].…”

The increase in cancer prevalence and hospital burden in Western Australia, 1992–2011

“…Cancer prevalence in WA and the mix of types of cancer are similar to those reported in a global study, with one in every 60 to 70 people living in the United States, Australia, and Europe having had a cancer diagnosis with the previous five years and breast and prostate carcinomas being the most prevalent cancers. The relative prevalence of melanoma stands out in WA, with a prevalence that surpasses that of colorectal cancer, the second-most prevalent cancer globally and third-most prevalent cancer in men and women in WA in 2011 [ 16 , 17 ].…”

“…While the drivers for the increase in prevalence are both incidence and survival, a 2013 comparative analysis of cancer statistics in the United States, Italy, Nordic countries, Australia, and France found variation in prevalence rates between countries to be more strongly associated with incidence [ 16 , 17 ]. We found the majority of the increase in cancer prevalence in males and females to be due to prostate and breast cancers, respectively, much of which may be explained by increasing incidence of these cancers [ 1 ] in an aging population but also improved survival following earlier detection and advances in medical treatment.…”

Clinical significance of CTHRC1 protein expression in human cancers: a meta-analysis

“…Moreover, in Europe, the incidence and mortality of cancer play a critical role in both planning and estimating the influence of cancer control programs at the country and regional levels (Ferlay et al, 2013). The incidence of cancer and its prognosis may contribute to overall cancer prevalence, which is also affected by the aging of the population and increasing population growth rates (Crocetti et al, 2013;Mihajlović et al, 2013). During cancer progression, only a few detached cancer cells that leave the primary tumor and survive in circulation are required to seed metastases in distant organs; therefore, metastases remain the main cause of cancer-related deaths (Gorges and Pantel, 2013).…”