Premium
The incidence and patterns of colorectal cancers in Sri Lanka from 2001 to 2010: Analysis of national cancer registry data
Author(s) -
Jayarajah Umesh,
Udayanga Viraj,
Fernando Ashan,
Samarasekera Dharmabandhu N.,
Seneviratne Sanjeewa
Publication year - 2020
Publication title -
european journal of cancer care
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.849
H-Index - 67
eISSN - 1365-2354
pISSN - 0961-5423
DOI - 10.1111/ecc.13247
Subject(s) - medicine , incidence (geometry) , sri lanka , cancer registry , confidence interval , demography , colorectal cancer , case fatality rate , cancer , south asia , gynecology , epidemiology , ethnology , physics , optics , history , sociology
Objectives The incidence of colorectal cancer (CRC) has been increasing in many Asian countries. This study aims to analyse trends in CRC incidence and histological patterns in Sri Lanka. Methods All newly diagnosed patients with CRC in Sri Lanka during 2001–2010 included in the National Cancer Registry were analysed for trends in incidence using Joinpoint regression software. Results A total of 7,694 CRC (male:female = 1.02:1, mean age = 58.7 years) were analysed. The incidence of CRC in Sri Lanka has increased from a WHO age‐standardised rate of 2.9/100,000 in 2001 (95%‐confidence interval [95%‐CI]: 2.64–3.16) to 6.08/100,000 in 2010 (95%‐CI: 5.71–6.44). This is an estimated annual percentage change (EAPC) of 8.9 (95%‐CI: 7.5–10.4). The proportional increase in incidence was observed to be greater for females (2.8 to 5.6, EAPC: 9.4 (95%‐CI: 7.7–11.2), p < .05) than males (3.02 to 6.62, EAPC: 8.5 (95%‐CI: 6.9–10.2), p < .05). Conclusions Similar to other Asian countries, a significant increase in the incidence of CRC was observed in Sri Lanka. Rate of the increase may have been artificially inflated due to better case reporting and diagnostic scrutiny. Future studies focussing on trends in tumour stage and fatality will help shed light on changing patterns in the burden of CRC in Sri Lanka.