Cancer Incidence and Mortality

3. HEALTH STATUS Cancer incidence and mortality

Cancer is the second leading cause of mortality in OECD in fat and low in fibre, lack of physical activity, obesity, countries after circulatory diseases, accounting for 25% of all smoking and alcohol consumption all increase the risk of deaths in 2017. Further, there was an estimated 7.5 million developing the illness. newly diagnosed cases of cancer across the OECD. Common Breast cancer is the second most common cause of cancer cancers are lung cancer (21.5%), colorectal cancer (11%), mortality in women (14.5% of deaths). While incidence rates breast cancer (14.5% among women) and prostate cancer for breast cancer have increased over the past decade, (9.4% amongst men). These four represent more than 40% of mortality has declined or stabilised, indicative of earlier all cancers diagnosed in OECD countries. Mortality rates diagnosis and treatment, and consequently higher survival from cancer have fallen in all OECD countries since 2000, rates (see indicator on “Breast cancer outcomes” in although across the OECD the decline has been more modest Chapter 6). Prostate cancer is the third most common cause than for circulatory diseases. of cancer mortality among men, accounting for just over Cancer incidence rates vary across OECD countries, from 10% of all cancer-related deaths. over 400 new cases per 100 000 people in Australia and New Zealand, to around 200 cases or fewer in Mexico and Chile (Figure 3.12). Cancer incidence is also comparatively low in all partner countries. Cross-country variations in incidence Definition and comparability rates, though, reflect differences not only in new cancers occurring each year but also differences in national cancer Cancer incidence rates are based on numbers of new screening policies, quality of cancer surveillance and cases of cancer registered in a country in a year divided reporting. High rates in Australia and New Zealand are by the population. Differences in the quality of cancer mainly driven by the high incidence of non-melanoma skin surveillance and reporting across countries may affect cancer. the comparability of data. Rates have been age- standardised based on Segi’s world population to Mortality rates from cancer averaged 201 deaths per 100 000 remove variations arising from differences in age people across the OECD (Figure 3.13). They were highest in structures across countries and over time. Data come Hungary, the Slovak Republic and Slovenia (above 240); from the International Agency for Research on Cancer lowest in Mexico, Turkey and Korea (165 or less). Among (IARC), GLOBOCAN 2018. These data may differ from partner countries with comparable data, cancer mortality national estimates due to differences in methodology. rates were also comparatively low in Colombia, Costa Rica The incidence of all cancers is classified to ICD-10 and Brazil. codes C00-C97. Earlier diagnosis and treatment significantly increase Mortality rates are based on numbers of deaths cancer survival rates. This partly explains why, for example, registered in a country in a year divided by the size of Australia and New Zealand have below average mortality the corresponding population. The rates have been rates despite having the highest rates of cancer incidence. In directly age-standardised to the 2010 OECD population both countries, five-year net survival from common cancers (available at http://oe.cd/mortality). The source is the is also above the OECD average (see various indicators on WHO Mortality Database. survival following cancer in Chapter 6). Deaths from all cancers are classified to ICD-10 codes Cancer incidence rates are higher for men than women in all C00-C97. The international comparability of cancer OECD and partner countries; cancer mortality rates are also mortality data can be affected by differences in higher for men except in Mexico, Iceland, Indonesia and medical training and practices as well as in death India. Greater prevalence of risk factors among men – certification across countries. notably smoking and alcohol consumption – drive much of this gender gap in cancer incidence and mortality. Lung cancer is the main cause of death for both men and women, with smoking the main risk factor. It accounts for References 25% of cancer deaths among men and 17% among women (Figure 3.14). Colorectal cancer is a major cause of death for [1] GLOBOCAN (2018), Cancer Today, https://gco.iarc.fr/today/home. men and women (second main cause for men and third for [2] OECD (2013), Cancer Care: Assuring Quality to Improve Survival, women, accounting for about 10% of cancer-related deaths OECD Health Policy Studies, OECD Publishing, Paris, https:// for each sex). Apart from age and genetic factors, a diet high doi.org/10.1787/9789264181052-en.

76 HEALTH AT A GLANCE 2019 © OECD 2019 3. HEALTH STATUS

Cancer incidence and mortality

Figure 3.12. All cancer incidence by sex, 2018 (estimated)

Total Men Women Age-standardised rates per 100 000 population 600 500 400 300

200 468 438 374 368 352 346 344 340 338 334 334 319 314 313 311 309 305 302 301 298 297 295 291 286 283 280 272 266 260 258

100 254 248 248 234 225 222 217 214 202 198 196 136 143 179 0 89

Source: International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), GLOBOCAN 2018. StatLink 2 https://doi.org/10.1787/888934015030

Figure 3.13. Cancer mortality, by sex, 2017 (or nearest year)

Total Men Women Age-standardised rates per 100 000 population 400 350 300 250 200 150 275

100 243 243 237 236 230 230 227 225 221 219 216 216 210 204 201 200 199 198 197 197 196 194 194 190 188 187 185 185 185 181 180 173 172 172 171 165 161 161 156 50 155 0 120

1. Three-year average. Source: OECD Health Statistics 2019. StatLink 2 https://doi.org/10.1787/888934015049

Figure 3.14. Main causes of cancer mortality across OECD countries, by sex, 2017 (or nearest year)

Women Men

Lung 17.3% 1.0% Melanoma of skin Lung 24.8% 1.7% Bladder

1.9% Cervix uteri 1.2% Melanoma of skin

3.5% Leukemia Breast 14.5% 3.3% Leukemia 3.9% Liver Colorectal 10.7% 3.7% Bladder . . 4.4% Stomach 5.8% Stomach Colorectal 11.3% Prostate 9.4% 4.8% Ovary 5.9% Liver 7.8% 6.4% Pancreas Pancreas

Note: Proportion of the sums of cancer-related deaths across OECD countries, by sex. Source: OECD Health Statistics 2019. StatLink 2 https://doi.org/10.1787/888934015068

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Please cite this chapter as:

OECD (2019), “Cancer incidence and mortality”, in Health at a Glance 2019: OECD Indicators, OECD Publishing, Paris.

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1787/ac388762-en

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