Chun-Ju Chiang1, Wei-Cheng Lo1, Ya-Wen Yang1, San-Lin You2, Chien-Jen Chen3, Mei-Shu Lai4. 1. Graduate Institute of Epidemiology and Preventive Medicine, College of Public Health, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan; Taiwan Cancer Registry, Taipei, Taiwan. 2. Taiwan Cancer Registry, Taipei, Taiwan; Department of Public Health, College of Medicine, and Big Data Research Centre, Fu-Jen Catholic University, New Taipei City, Taiwan. 3. Graduate Institute of Epidemiology and Preventive Medicine, College of Public Health, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan; Taiwan Cancer Registry, Taipei, Taiwan; Genomics Research Center, Academia Sinica, Taipei, Taiwan. 4. Graduate Institute of Epidemiology and Preventive Medicine, College of Public Health, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan; Taiwan Cancer Registry, Taipei, Taiwan. Electronic address: mslai@ntu.edu.tw.
Abstract
BACKGROUND/ PURPOSE: Little is known about the annual changes in cancer incidence and survival that occurred after the establishment of the long-form cancer registry database in Taiwan. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the updated incidence and stage-specific relative survival rates (RSRs) among adult cancer patients in Taiwan. METHODS: Cancer incidence data from 2002 to 2012 were collected using the Taiwan Cancer Registry Database. Age-standardized incidence rates, average annual percent changes (AAPCs), and sex ratios were calculated for adults. Five-year stage-specific RSRs were estimated for cases diagnosed between 2004 and 2008 and were followed up to 2013 for major cancers. RESULTS: The overall age-standardized incidence rates per 100,000 populations increased from 348.39 in 2002 to 401.18 in 2012, and the AAPC was 1.7% (p < 0.05), whereas the male:female ratio was approximately 1:3 during the entire period. Most cancer sites showed a trend of increasing incidence, with the exception of common cancers such as cervix uteri (AAPC = -6.2%, p < 0.05), bladder (AAPC = -2.5%, p < 0.05), stomach (AAPC = -2.4%, p < 0.05), nasopharynx (AAPC = -1.2%, p < 0.05), and liver (AAPC = -1.1%, p < 0.05). The 5-year RSRs for Stage I cancers were greater than 93% for the colon and rectum, female breast, and cervix uteri, whereas RSRs for patients with Stage IV cancers ranged from 2.9% to 38.9%, with patients with liver cancer and those with oral cancer showing the lowest and highest RSRs, respectively. CONCLUSION: Our study showed increased incidence in most cancers and provided baseline estimates of stage-specific RSRs among the Taiwanese adult population. Continuous surveillance may help politicians to improve health policies and cancer care in Taiwan.
BACKGROUND/ PURPOSE: Little is known about the annual changes in cancer incidence and survival that occurred after the establishment of the long-form cancer registry database in Taiwan. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the updated incidence and stage-specific relative survival rates (RSRs) among adult cancerpatients in Taiwan. METHODS:Cancer incidence data from 2002 to 2012 were collected using the Taiwan Cancer Registry Database. Age-standardized incidence rates, average annual percent changes (AAPCs), and sex ratios were calculated for adults. Five-year stage-specific RSRs were estimated for cases diagnosed between 2004 and 2008 and were followed up to 2013 for major cancers. RESULTS: The overall age-standardized incidence rates per 100,000 populations increased from 348.39 in 2002 to 401.18 in 2012, and the AAPC was 1.7% (p < 0.05), whereas the male:female ratio was approximately 1:3 during the entire period. Most cancer sites showed a trend of increasing incidence, with the exception of common cancers such as cervix uteri (AAPC = -6.2%, p < 0.05), bladder (AAPC = -2.5%, p < 0.05), stomach (AAPC = -2.4%, p < 0.05), nasopharynx (AAPC = -1.2%, p < 0.05), and liver (AAPC = -1.1%, p < 0.05). The 5-year RSRs for Stage I cancers were greater than 93% for the colon and rectum, female breast, and cervix uteri, whereas RSRs for patients with Stage IV cancers ranged from 2.9% to 38.9%, with patients with liver cancer and those with oral cancer showing the lowest and highest RSRs, respectively. CONCLUSION: Our study showed increased incidence in most cancers and provided baseline estimates of stage-specific RSRs among the Taiwanese adult population. Continuous surveillance may help politicians to improve health policies and cancer care in Taiwan.