Incidence, mortality and survival patterns of prostate cancer among residents in Singapore from 1968 to 2002.
BACKGROUND
From 1968 to 2002, Singapore experienced an almost four-fold increase in prostate cancer incidence. This paper examines the incidence, mortality and survival patterns for prostate cancer among all residents in Singapore from 1968 to 2002.


METHODS
This is a retrospective population-based cohort study including all prostate cancer cases aged over 20 (n = 3613) reported to the Singapore Cancer Registry from 1968 to 2002. Age-standardized incidence, mortality rates and 5-year Relative Survival Ratios (RSRs) were obtained for each 5-year period. Follow-up was ascertained by matching with the National Death Register until 2002. A weighted linear regression was performed on the log-transformed age-standardized incidence and mortality rates over period.


RESULTS
The percentage increase in the age-standardized incidence rate per year was 5.0%, 5.6%, 4.0% and 1.9% for all residents, Chinese, Malays and Indians respectively. The percentage increase in age-standardized mortality rate per year was 5.7%, 6.0%, 6.6% and 2.5% for all residents, Chinese, Malays and Indians respectively. When all Singapore residents were considered, the RSRs for prostate cancer were fairly constant across the study period with slight improvement from 1995 onwards among the Chinese.


CONCLUSIONS
Ethnic differences in prostate cancer incidence, mortality and survival patterns were observed. There has been a substantial improvement in RSRs since the 1990s for the Chinese.
Chia
Sin Eng
SE
Centre for Molecular Epidemiology, National University of Singapore, Singapore. sin_eng_chia@nuhs.edu.sg
Tan
Chuen Seng
CS
Lim
Gek Hsiang
GH
Sim
Xueling
X
Pawitan
Yudi
Y
Reilly
Marie
M
Mohamed Ali
Safiyya
S
Lau
Weber
W
Chia
Kee Seng
KS
D000328:Adult; D017677:Age Distribution; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D044466:Asian People; D004032:Diet; D006801:Humans; D008019:Life Style; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011471:Prostatic Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000208:ethnology* / Q000628:therapy; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012846:Singapore / Q000453:epidemiology; D016019:Survival Analysis; D044465:White People; D055815:Young Adult