Abstract
BackgroundIn the present study, we examined the trends of premature mortality due to kidney and bladder cancers among the Japanese population from 1980 through 2010.MethodsMortality data were obtained from the World Health Organization mortality database. Years of life lost (YLL) was estimated using Japanese life tables. Average lifespan shortened (ALSS) was calculated and defined as the ratio of years of life lost relative to the expected lifespan.ResultsOver the study period, the age-standardized rates to the World Standard Population for deaths from kidney and bladder cancers were stable. The average years of life lost (AYLL) measure shows decreases of about 4 and 6 years of life for kidney cancer in men and women, respectively, and decreases of about 2 years of life for bladder cancer in both sexes. The ALSS shows that patients with kidney cancer lost 21.0% and 24.7% of their lifespan among men and women in 1980, whereas respective losses were 15.3% and 15.8% in 2010. Also, patients with bladder cancer on average lost 13.5% in men and 14.2% in women in 1980 and 10.8% in men and 11.1% in women in 2010.ConclusionsOur study shows favorable trends in premature mortality for kidney and bladder cancers in Japan over a 30-year period; however, patients with bladder cancer on average lost a smaller proportion of their lifespan compared to those with kidney cancer. The development of a novel ALSS measure is convenient in examination of the burden of premature mortality over time.
Highlights
Malignancies of the kidney and bladder account for the majority of cancers of the urinary system, which consists of the kidneys, bladder, upper urinary tract, and urethra
Our study shows favorable trends in premature mortality for kidney and bladder cancers in Japan over a 30-year period; patients with bladder cancer on average lost a smaller proportion of their lifespan compared to those with kidney cancer
The development of a novel average lifespan shortened (ALSS) measure is convenient in examination of the burden of premature mortality over time
Summary
Malignancies of the kidney and bladder account for the majority of cancers of the urinary system, which consists of the kidneys, bladder, upper urinary tract (ureter and renal pelvis), and urethra. Japan generally has lower incidence rates of kidney and bladder cancers than western countries.[1] A recent estimate, based on data from 11 population-based cancer registries in Japan for the year 2000, reported that kidney cancer accounted for about 2% of new cancers in both sexes, while bladder cancer accounted for 3% of new cancers in men and less than 2% in women.[2]. Introduced before the 1990s, premature mortality in terms of years of life lost (YLL) has been under-utilized in the evaluation of the burden of chronic conditions. In order to improve comparability we proposed a new measure, the average lifespan shortened (ALSS), expressed as the ratio of years of life lost relative to expected lifespan according to national life tables. We have already demonstrated the utility of this novel measure in evaluating premature mortality from breast and the central nervous system cancers among the Canadian population.[9,10]. We examined the trends of premature mortality due to kidney and bladder cancers among the Japanese population from 1980 through 2010
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