title: NORDCAN--a Nordic tool for cancer information, planning, quality control and research.
abstract: The NORDCAN database and program ( www.ancr.nu ) include detailed information and results on cancer incidence, mortality and prevalence in each of the Nordic countries over five decades and has lately been supplemented with predictions of cancer incidence and mortality; future extensions include the incorporation of cancer survival estimates.
  
  
  METHODS
  The data originates from the national cancer registries and causes of death registries in Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, Sweden, and Faroe Islands and is regularly updated. Presently 41 cancer entities are included in the common dataset, and conversions of the original national data according to international rules ensure comparability.
  
  
  RESULTS
  With 25 million inhabitants in the Nordic countries, 130 000 incident cancers are reported yearly, alongside nearly 60 000 cancer deaths, with almost a million persons living with a cancer diagnosis. This web-based application is available in English and in each of the five Nordic national languages. It includes comprehensive and easy-to-use descriptive epidemiology tools that provide tabulations and graphs, with further user-specified options available.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The NORDCAN database aims to provide comparable and timely data to serve the varying needs of policy makers, cancer societies, the public, and journalists, as well as the clinical and research community.
authors.affiliation: NORDCAN Secretariat, Department of Cancer Prevention & Documentation, Danish Cancer Society, Strandboulevarden 49, Copenhagen Ø, Denmark. gerda@cancer.dk
authors.forename: Gerda
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Engholm
authors.forename: Jacques
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Ferlay
authors.forename: Niels
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Christensen
authors.forename: Freddie
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Bray
authors.forename: Marianne L
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Gjerstorff
authors.forename: Asa
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Klint
authors.forename: Jóanis E
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Køtlum
authors.forename: Elínborg
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Olafsdóttir
authors.forename: Eero
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Pukkala
authors.forename: Hans H
authors.initials: HH
authors.lastname: Storm
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D017677:Age Distribution; D000368:Aged; D035843:Biomedical Research / Q000379:methods / Q000458:organization & administration / Q000592:standards; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000453:epidemiology; D002173:Cancer Care Facilities / Q000592:standards / Q000639:trends; D003718:Denmark / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D005387:Finland / Q000453:epidemiology; D014943:Global Health; D006285:Health Planning / Q000379:methods / Q000458:organization & administration / Q000592:standards / Q000639:trends; D006801:Humans; D007055:Iceland / Q000453:epidemiology; D015994:Incidence; D033181:Information Dissemination / Q000379:methods; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009026:Mortality / Q000639:trends; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000401:mortality; D009664:Norway / Q000453:epidemiology; D016730:Program Development; D015397:Program Evaluation; D011471:Prostatic Neoplasms / Q000453:epidemiology; D011786:Quality Control; D011787:Quality of Health Care / Q000639:trends; D012042:Registries; D015996:Survival Rate / Q000639:trends; D013548:Sweden / Q000453:epidemiology; D013736:Testicular Neoplasms / Q000453:epidemiology