Open AccessAre 90% of deaths from cancer caused by metastases?
Author(s) -
Dillekås Hanna,
Rogers Michael S.,
Straume Oddbjørn
Publication year - 2019
Publication title -
cancer medicine
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.403
H-Index - 53
ISSN - 2045-7634
DOI - 10.1002/cam4.2474
Subject(s) - medicine , cancer , metastasis , population , norwegian , cause of death , cancer registry , oncology , druggability , causes of cancer , disease , environmental health , biology , linguistics , philosophy , biochemistry , gene
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.