Trends in cancer mortality in Catalonia, Spain (1975-1998)

BACKGROUND: Aimed at assessing recent trends of cancer mortality in Catalonia (Spain), we analysed mortality rates for main tumour locations in men and women between 1975 and 1998. MATERIAL AND METHOD: Mortality data were obtained from the Mortality Registry of Catalonia. For each sex, age-standardized (standard world population) mortality rates were determined by me ans of the direct method, and generalized lineal models with Poisson distribution were adjusted to obtain annual change percentages. RESULTS: In men, the overall cancer mortality (except skin non-melanoma) was highest within 1991-1992 (age-standardized rate: 181.39/100,000) and decreased thereafter until 169.47/100,000 in 1995-1996. Lung cancer was the main cause of cancer mortality, displaying a 4% annual increase until 1989-1990, and a subsequent stabilization (-0.5% annual between 1989-1990 and 1997-1998). Colorectal cancer was the second cause of cancer death, both in men and women, with a mortality rate stabilization since the 1990s. Prostate cancer became the third cause of cancer death in 1997-1998. In women, overall cancer (except skin nonmelanoma) mortality rate was of 77.98/100,000 in 1997-98, showing a 0.9% annual decrease since 1989-1990. Breast cancer was the chief cause of cancer death within 1997-1998: after a sustained increase since 1975-1976, mortality started to decline (-2.0% annual) since 1989-1990. Lung cancer became the third cause of cancer death among women within 1997-1998, just after breast cancer and colorectal cancer, while gastric and uterine cancer became the fourth and fifth cancer death causes during this period, respectively. CONCLUSION: After years of a steady increase, mortality rates for main cancer types stabilized since 1989-1990 in Catalonia.