NORDCAN--a Nordic tool for cancer information, planning, quality control and research.
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.
Engholm
Gerda
G
NORDCAN Secretariat, Department of Cancer Prevention & Documentation, Danish Cancer Society, Strandboulevarden 49, Copenhagen Ø, Denmark. gerda@cancer.dk
Ferlay
Jacques
J
Christensen
Niels
N
Bray
Freddie
F
Gjerstorff
Marianne L
ML
Klint
Asa
A
Køtlum
Jóanis E
JE
Olafsdóttir
Elínborg
E
Pukkala
Eero
E
Storm
Hans H
HH
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