Atlas cancer mapping abroad

Abstract

To assess the state and prospects for the development of cancer mapping in Russia, country and world experience in the preparation of cartographic works on cancer topics is useful. For this purpose, an attempt was made to trace the development of cancer mapping on the example of foreign atlas works and some publications on their review. National (Australian Cancer Atlas, Taiwan cancer map, Canadian Cancer Incidence Atlas, etc.) and world (The Cancer Atlas, Global burden of cancer women, Global Atlas of Palliative Care at the End of Life, etc.) atlases are presented. They deserve attention in terms of promoting the content and methodological side of cancer mapping, as well as expanding their functionality. The review of atlases reflects the diversity of approaches to their development, the differences in the indicators used, and the prevailing trends in the presentation of results for solving the problems facing medicine and society. The concept of “burden” is the basis of the concept of a significant part of the atlases. It covers various aspects of the manifestation of cancer (from medical to socio-economic) and is displayed in atlases, depending on their purpose, with varying degrees of completeness. From studying the spatio-temporal spread of cancer, atlas studies are moving on to building and testing hypotheses about the factors and determinants of cancer on the basis of a variety of synergies of natural, social, economic, environmental, behavioral and other features.