Estimates of cancer burden in Trentino-Alto Adige

Abstract

Aims and background The Trentino-Alto Adige region is composed of two autonomous provinces (Trento and Bolzano), each with its own cancer registry. The registries' total coverage is 100% of the regional population. The main difference between the two provinces in terms of cancer epidemiology is related to the prostate cancer incidence and survival, with higher values in Bolzano. This paper provides an update until 2015 of the basic epidemiological indicators for seven major cancers for the entire region. Methods The indicators were estimated by means of the MIAMOD method, a statistical back-calculation approach to derive incidence and prevalence figures starting from mortality and relative survival data. Mortality data were provided by ISTAT for the period 1970—2002 while survival was modeled on the basis of published data from the Italian cancer registries. Results The estimates for 2012 show that breast cancer was the most common cancer in women and prostate cancer was most common in men. Incidence and mortality were decreasing for cervix cancer and stomach cancer in both genders during the whole study period. The lung cancer incidence and mortality were decreasing in men but increasing in women. The colorectal cancer incidence rose in both genders while the mortality was decreasing in women. The incidence of skin melanoma increased in both sexes, while the mortality remained very low. The breast cancer incidence was increasing up to 2015 while the mortality was declining since 1986. The prostate cancer incidence increased up to 2006, thereafter the rates stabilized while mortality started to decrease in the early 2000s. The highest mortality rates were estimated for lung cancer in men and breast cancer in women. Conclusions Lifestyle plays an important role in cancer trends, as does organized screening for early detection of cervix, breast and colorectal cancer. The provincial data on risk factor distribution and adherence to and coverage of organized screening are satisfactory and their optimization may allow additional benefits in terms of public health.