Trends in cervical cancer survival in Europe, 1983-1994: a population-based study.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate trends in survival from cervical cancer in Europe and in European countries participating in the EUROCARE study as a function of age, morphology and stage at diagnosis.


METHODS
Relative survival and relative excess risk of death within 5 years of diagnosis, as a function of age, morphology and stage, among 73,022 women aged 15-99 years diagnosed during 1983-1994 and followed up to 1999 in each of 18 European countries participating in the EUROCARE study, using data from 34 population-based cancer registries.


RESULTS
Overall five-year relative survival was 62%, rising by 2% during the period 1983-1994. The highest survival occurred in Northern and Western Europe and the lowest in Central Europe. Survival falls with age at diagnosis, but mainly for localised disease. Survival is higher for adenocarcinoma in younger women, but higher for squamous cell carcinoma in older women. The proportions of younger women, localised cancer and adenocarcinoma all increased. The main improvements in survival were for women under 65, and for metastatic disease.


CONCLUSIONS
Survival in Europe has improved slowly but steadily, but the trend is not geographically uniform. Central European countries and the UK saw little or no improvement, and survival in those countries remains the lowest among participating countries in Europe. Further reduction of cervical cancer mortality in Europe may be expected from expansion of screening, and improvement in the treatment of older women, and of metastatic disease.
Bielska-Lasota
Magdalena
M
Independent Unit of Oncological Education, Maria Skłodowska-Curie Memorial Cancer Centre and Institute of Oncology, 02-781 Warszawa, ul. Roentgena 5, Poland. mbielska@coi.waw.pl
Inghelmann
Riccardo
R
van de Poll-Franse
Lonneke
L
Capocaccia
Riccardo
R
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D005060:Europe / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D009026:Mortality / Q000639:trends; D011379:Prognosis; D012042:Registries; D015996:Survival Rate; D002583:Uterine Cervical Neoplasms / Q000401:mortality*