[Cancer mortality trends in Catalonia, 1985-2004].
OBJECTIVE
In the last two decades, major changes have occurred in both the epidemiology and the healthcare of cancer, which have had a substantial impact on the mortality due to this disease. The objective of this study was to analyze cancer mortality trends in Catalonia in the previous 20 years and to compare these trends with those in Europe.


METHODS
Mortality data were gathered from the mortality register of the Department of Health of Catalonia, which includes all deaths in Catalonia from 1985-2004. The causes of death are coded according to the International Classification of Diseases (ICD-9 for 1985-1998 and ICD-10 for 1999-2004). The population data used were inter-census (1985-2000), census (2001) and post-census (2002-2004) estimates from the Catalan Institute of Statistics. Ageadjusted rates (AR) (to the world population of 1960) and accumulated rates from 0 to 74 years old were calculated. A Poisson model was adjusted to the AR to estimate the mortality trend and the annual percentage of change was calculated for the years 1985-1994 and 1995- 2004 and for the period 1985-2002 as a whole.


RESULTS
From 1985-2004, the risk of dying from cancer decreased from 18.54 % to 17.49% in men and from 9.24% to 7.69% in women. The adjusted rate of mortality decreased in cancer of the larynx (2,52%), prostate (1.11%) and stomach (2.89%) in men and in stomach cancer (-3.64) in women. In men, there was a significant increase in mortality from colorectal cancer (an increase of 2.8% to 1994 with subsequent stabilization) and from lung cancer (an increase of 1.36% to 1994 with a subsequent decrease). Cancer of the liver showed a nonsignificant increase until 1994 with a subsequent decrease of 3.13%. In women, breast cancer increased until 1994 (1.48%) and subsequently significantly decreased (2.72%). Lung cancer increased throughout the entire period but this increase was only significant (4,81%) in the last decade.


CONCLUSIONS
In the last two decades, cancer mortality has shown a general decreasing trend, although mortality from several tumors has substantially increased. Compared with other European countries, Catalonia shows lower cancer mortality in women than in men. Nevertheless, the trends shown in the last decade are similar to those followed by the countries in the best positions.
Gispert
R
R
Registre de Mortalitat, Servei d'Informació i Estudis, Departament de Salut, Generalitat de Catalunya, Barcelona, spaña. rosa.gispert@gencat.cat
Clèries
R
R
Puigdefàbregas
A
A
Freitas
A
A
Esteban
L
L
Ribes
J
J
D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000401:mortality*; D013030:Spain / Q000453:epidemiology; D013997:Time Factors