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Trends in colorectal cancer incidence and mortality in New South Wales, 1973–1992
Author(s) -
Bell Jane C,
McCredie Margaret,
Coates Marylon S,
Armstrong Bruce K
Publication year - 1997
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.1326-5377.1997.tb140070.x
Subject(s) - medicine , colorectal cancer , incidence (geometry) , colonoscopy , sigmoidoscopy , demography , mortality rate , cancer registry , cancer , confidence interval , population , environmental health , physics , sociology , optics
Objective: To assess changes in incidence and mortality rates of colorectal cancer in different age groups in New South Wales (NSW) between 1973 and 1992. Design: Descriptive analysis of data on incidence and mortality from the population‐based NSW Central Cancer Registry and on colorectal cancer diagnostic tests from the Health Insurance Commission. Main outcome measures: Age‐standardised incidence and mortality rates for colon and rectal cancer (defined by codes 153 and 154 in the International classification of diseases , 9th revision) by sex and age group (15–44, 45–59, 60–74 or ≥ 75 years) and incidence by cancer spread at diagnosis; age‐standardised rates for faecal occult blood tests, sigmoidoscopy and colonoscopy. Results: From 1973 to 1992, colorectal cancer incidence increased significantly in NSW by an average of 2.0% per year in males (95% confidence interval [CI], 1.8 to 2.3) and 0.9% in females (95% CI, 0.7 to 1.1). Mortality rates remained nearly constant in males, but fell significantly in females by an average of −1.0% per year (95% CI, −1.3 to −0.7). In the youngest age group (15–44 years) both incidence and mortality rates fell significantly, while rates were stable or rose in older age groups, except for a significant fall in mortality in women aged ≥ 75 years. Use of colonoscopy (an early detection method) increased, but a corresponding shift to detection of earlier‐stage cancers was not seen. Conclusions: A reduction in risk factors and better treatment leading to longer survival may have contributed to the falls in incidence in younger people and in mortality in females.

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