Cancer in the Azores: initial results from a recently established population-based cancer registry

Revista Brasileira de Epidemiologia

Câmara, Jorge G.²  Cabral, José M.⁴  Pinheiro, Paulo S.³  Lacerda, Gonçalo F.⁵  Rodrigues, Vítor L.¹ 

[1] Faculdade de Medicina de Coimbra, Portugal;Hospital da Horta, Portugal;University of Nevada, Las Vegas, USA;Laboratório de Anatomia Patológica, Lda., Ponta Delgada, Portugal;Centro de Oncologia dos Açores, Portugal

关键词: Cancer;    Incidence;    Mortality;    Registration;    Archipelago;    Azores;   

DOI  :  10.1590/S1415-790X2012000200006

学科分类：过敏症与临床免疫学

来源: SciELO

【 摘 要 】

INTRODUCTION:The Azores archipelago has long been the Portuguese region that presents thehighest mortality rates for certain cancers. Lack of incidence data has preventedthe evaluation of the actual burden of this disease in the Azorean population.
METHODS: Malignant tumours (ICD-O 5^th Digit /3) initiallydiagnosed between the January 1^st 2000 and December 31^st2002 were retrieved from the database of the recently established population-basedcancer registry. Crude, age-specific and age-standardized rates were calculatedand confidence intervals were estimated using Poisson approximation. Relativerisks of developing cancer in the Azores when compared to mainland Portugalhave been represented by standardized ratios. Quality indicators, includingMortality:Incidence (M:I) ratios, were also assessed.
RESULTS: Overall, the data shows a high incidence rate for some malignantdiseases, specifically in men. Compared to those living in mainland Portugal,both Azorean men (RR 1.412; 99% CI 1.407-1.416) and women (1.127; 1.125-1.129)presented a significantly higher risk of developing cancer, all sites combined.When compared with other cancer registries, a less favourable cancer survivalpattern is reported in the Azores, as emphasized by higher M:I ratios for severalcancer sites.
CONCLUSIONS: A preliminary analysis of the results suggests the presenceof some major risk factors in the Azorean population, namely tobacco smokingin men. Higher M:I ratios would also point to survival disparities between theAzores archipelago and the continent, which should be further studied.

【 授权许可】

CC BY