Estimates of cancer burden in Italy

Silvia Rossi,Emanuele Crocetti,Riccardo Capocaccia,M Federico,Gemma Gatta,A Madeddu ,Silvano Piffer ,Lucìa Mangone ,Luigi Bisanti ,Diego Serraino ,Susanna Vitarelli ,Francesco La Rosa ,Stefano Ferretti ,Fabio Falcini ,Guido Mazzoleni ,Andrea Donato ,Mario Budroni ,Adriano Giacomin ,Maria Michiara ,Roberto Zanetti ,Paola Zambon ,Carlotta Buzzoni ,Marina Vercelli ,Rosario Tumino ,Roberto Tessandori ,Mario Fusco ,Maurizio Ponz De Leòn ,Fabio Pannozzo ,Maria Lia Contrino ,Paolo Crosignani ,Adele Traina ,Null Author_Id

doi:10.1177/030089161309900318

Abstract

This paper presents updated estimates of the incidence, prevalence and mortality of stomach, colorectal, lung, breast, uterine cervix and prostate cancer and skin melanoma in the Italian population. In particular, point estimates for 2012 and time trends from 1970 to 2015 will be provided. The presented figures were obtained by summing up the regional epidemiological indicator estimates presented in the other papers of this monographic issue, which were derived by applying the MIAMOD statistical back-calculation method to cancer registries survival data and official mortality rates. Our findings indicate that breast, colon-rectum and prostate will be the cancer sites with the highest incidence rates in the forthcoming years. The incidence rates still tend to increase for breast, male colorectal cancer and female lung cancer as well as for skin melanoma. By contrast, the incidence of stomach cancer, cervical cancer and male lung cancer, by far the most common tumor sites up to the early 1990s, will continue to decrease. The mortality estimates showed a decreasing trend for all considered cancers with the only exception of lung cancer in women. These results point to the need to reinforce prevention activities by developing more effective preventive measures for population groups at risk. There is also a need to support timely and continuous cancer surveillance in the Italian population through cancer registries in order to monitor the spread of the cancer risk and to evaluate the impact of prevention policies and therapeutic advances.

Highlights

In Italy cancer is the second cause of death after cardiovascular disease, accounting for about one third of all deaths[1]
Our findings indicate that breast, colon-rectum and prostate will be the cancer sites with the highest incidence rates in the forthcoming years
The incidence rates still tend to increase for breast, male colorectal cancer and female lung cancer as well as for skin melanoma

Summary

Introduction

In Italy cancer is the second cause of death after cardiovascular disease, accounting for about one third of all deaths[1]. The central government issues general policy indications for cancer control and makes available funds to the regions for their implementation. In order to build an appropriate knowledge-based strategy for cancer control, it is important to have available and continuously monitor quantitative measures of the disease burden, whose major indicators are incidence, mortality and prevalence. Data on cancer mortality have been collected and made available in electronic format for the entire population by the Italian National Institute of Statistics (ISTAT) since 1970. Cancer registries data were available for one third of the national population in 2009, mostly from the north of the country. The coverage of the AIRTUM pool of cancer registries was 48% in the north of Italy, 26% in the center and 16% in the south[3]. Cancer registries generally cover province-level areas and most have been active since the late 1980s2

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Results

Conclusion