[Incidence of bronchopulmonary cancer in Castilla y Leon and Cantabria in the year 2007. A study by the Castilla y Leon and Cantabria Respiratory Diseases Society (SOCALPAR)]

INTRODUCTION

This study sets out to find out the incidence and other epidemiological characteristics of bronchopulmonary cancer in patients living in Cantabria and Castilla y Leon (Spain) and comparing the current data obtained in the last communities with that obtained 10 years ago in a similar study.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

Prospective, multicentre study using information (age, sex, residence, smoking habits and histology) obtained from all patients diagnosed during the year 2007.

RESULTS

A total of 1486 patients were included--1295 males (87.1%) and 191 females (12.9%)--, of whom 1145 lived in Castilla y Leon--1010 males (88.2%) and 135 females (11.8%)--, and 341 in Cantabria--285 males (83.6%) and 56 females (16.4%)--. The incidence rates per 100,000 inhabitants adjusted to the world standard population were significantly higher in Cantabria [29.53; (males: 52.9; females: 9.76)] than in Castilla y Leon [21.35; (males: 38.31; females: 5.58)]. A total of 90.24% were smokers (males: 96.12% and women: 49.17%). The main histology types were: squamous, 32, 82%; adenocarcinoma, 28.74%, and small cell carcinomas, 18.33%. In Castilla y Leon, from 1997 to 2007, the numbers went from 920 to 1010 in males and from 95 to 135 in females (a crude rate increase of 10.5% in males and 43% in females), and showed a decrease in squamous tumours and an increase in adenocarcinomas.

CONCLUSIONS

The incidence rates of bronchopulmonary cancer in 2007 were significantly higher in Cantabria than those of Castilla y Leon. The 2007 rates in this community were higher than in 1997 in both males and females.

[Lung cancer mortality trends in Spain between 1980 and 2005]

OBJECTIVE

To describe trends in lung cancer mortality in Spain between 1980 and 2005.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

Data on deaths from lung cancer during the study period were obtained from the Spanish National Institute of Statistics. Global and truncated (35 to 64 years) age-specific and gender-specific mortality rates were calculated and expressed as rates per 100,000 person-years. Trends were analyzed using joinpoint regression models.

RESULTS

In 2005 in Spain, 16 647 men and 2471 women died from lung cancer, accounting for 26.6% and 6.6%, respectively, of all cancer deaths. In men, truncated mortality rates initially increased in the 1980-1992 period (3.1% per year; P<.05) but began to decrease in the 1992-2005 period (-0.8% per year, P<.05). Starting in the 1990s, age-specific mortality rates showed a statistically significant decrease in patients aged less than 85 years. For women, after an initial stable period, truncated mortality rates increased significantly from 1992 onward by 6.3% per year. The analysis by age groups showed that the rates increased in all age groups, except for patients aged 25 to 34 years and patients aged 75 to 84 years, in whom they remained stable.

CONCLUSIONS

While lung cancer mortality began to decrease slightly among Spanish men 15 years ago, it increased significantly among women during the same period.

[Trends in lung cancer mortality rates in the provinces of Andalusia, Spain, 1975-2002]

OBJECTIVE

To describe trends in lung cancer mortality rates in the different provinces of Andalusia, Spain, from 1975 through 2002.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

Deaths from lung cancer during the period 1975 through 2002 were obtained from the Spanish national institute of statistics. Crude rates and age-adjusted rates (overall and truncated 35-64 year rates) were calculated.

RESULTS

In Andalusia in 2002 there were 2802 deaths from lung cancer in men and 254 in women, representing 28.4% and 4.5%, respectively, of the mortality rate from tumors. Joinpoint regression analysis distinguished 3 recent trends in truncated (range, 35-64 years) lung cancer mortality rates in men: decrease in Sevilla, increase in Huelva and Jaen, and stability in the other provinces. For women there was a marked increase (5.2% annually) during the period 1988 through 2002 in Malaga.

CONCLUSIONS

From a strategic point of view, antismoking strategies should target women in the province of Malaga in particular, with the aim of detaining their increasing risk for this type of cancer and of preventing avoidable and premature deaths among future generations of women.

Epidemiology of Lung Cancer in Spain and Forecast for the Future

Lung cancer, a steadily growing problem, ranks as the first cause of tumor-related deaths in developed countries. The relation between lung cancer and smoking makes it a potentially avoidable disease. Found mainly in men, it has made alarming gains among women. The main prognostic factor is the possibility of receiving curative surgery; however, in real practice the diagnosis usually comes when the disease has reached an advanced stage, when only 20% can be treated surgically. Nonsurgical treatments based on chemo- and radiotherapy have not advanced appreciably in recent years, and 5-year survival is poor, estimated at only around 7% to 12% in Spain. Attempts must be made to improve preventive measures and early diagnosis in order to improve the prognosis for lung cancer patients.

[Characteristics of lung cancer in a region in northern Spain]

OBJECTIVE

To gather information on the disease characteristics and survival rate of patients diagnosed with bronchogenic carcinoma in the respiratory medicine departments of hospitals in Asturias, Spain.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

This was a retrospective observational study carried out using a standardized data collection protocol. All cases of lung cancer diagnosed during 2001 were included provided there was cytologic or histologic confirmation or they fulfilled a series of clinical, radiological, and/or endoscopic criteria consistent with such a diagnosis.

RESULTS

Standard incidence rates adjusted to the world population were 22.4, 42.6, and 4.6 per 100,000 population for the whole population, men, and women respectively. The mean (SD) age was 67 (10.9) years, and 92% of the patients were men. Overall, 98% of the men and 44% of the women were smokers. Diagnosis was confirmed by cytologic or histologic findings in 92% of patients, and the majority were non-small cell tumors (81.4%). At the time of diagnosis, 65% of the patients had advanced disease, with distant metastasis in 26.6% of the non-small cell cancers and 52.8% of the small cell cancers. Patients received surgical treatment in 21.3% of cases, chemotherapy alone or combined with radiation therapy in 43.1%, and radiation therapy alone in 9.3%. In 26.2% of patients only palliative care was given. Overall, median survival in weeks was 36.4 (95% confidence interval [CI], 29.4-43.4). Median survival by treatment type was as follows: 69.3 (95% CI, 49-9.5) for surgery; 39.6 (95% CI, 31.2-48) for chemotherapy alone or with radiation therapy; 30 (95% CI, 15.4-44.6) for radiation therapy alone; and 13.3 (95% CI, 5.9-20.6) for patients who received palliative care alone (P< .05).

CONCLUSIONS

The findings with respect to age, sex, incidence, histology, extent of tumor, and smoking status of patients with bronchogenic carcinoma in our region does not differ significantly from those reported for other areas of Spain. Current smoking is the primary cause of the high prevalence of this disease. Twenty-six percent of patients received only palliative care. The percentage of patients treated with surgery was low.