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Changes in cancer incidence and mortality in New South Wales
Author(s) -
McCredie Margaret,
Coates Marylon S,
Day Peter,
Bell Jane C
Publication year - 1995
Publication title -
medical journal of australia
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.904
H-Index - 131
eISSN - 1326-5377
pISSN - 0025-729X
DOI - 10.5694/j.1326-5377.1995.tb124717.x
Subject(s) - medicine , incidence (geometry) , cancer , prostate cancer , lung cancer , demography , cancer registry , population , cervical cancer , breast cancer , skin cancer , gynecology , environmental health , physics , sociology , optics
Objective To assess changes in cancer incidence and mortality in New South Wales (NSW) between 1973‐1977 and 1988‐1992. Design Descriptive analysis of statutory cancer notifications to the NSV Central Cancer Registry. Outcome measures Age‐standardised incidence and mortality rates calculated with the “world” standard population. Results Overall cancer incidence rose markedly, from 251 to 318 per 100 000 in men and from 202 to 241 per 100 000 in women. The rise was greatest in the 60‐and‐over age group. Cancer mortality fell marginally ii men (from 166 to 162 per 100 000) and did not change in women (100 per 100 000 in both periods). It fell in the under‐60 age group, and remained stable or rose in older people. Prostate and breast cancers and melanom of the skin accounted for about half the increase in incidence. Both incidence and mortality increased significantly (P<0.01) for melanoma and non‐Hodgkin's lymphomas in men and lung cancer in women, and fell substantially for stomach cancer in both sexes, lung cancer in men and cervical cancer in women. Despite increasing incidence, mortality also fell for testicular cancer in men and rectal cancer in women and for leukaemias in children. Conclusions The major factor causing the increased incidence of overal cancer was earlier detection. Altered exposure to risk factors could be identified for only a minority of the changes.