title: Primary Vulvo-Vaginal Cancers: Trends in Incidence and Mortality in Poland (1999-2012).
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The aim of this study was to determine the incidence, mortality rates and trends of vulvar and vaginal cancers in Poland.
  
  
  METHODS
  Data were retrieved from the Polish National Cancer Registry. Age-standardised rates (ASRs) of cancer incidence and mortality were calculated by direct standardisation, and joinpoint regression was performed to describe the trends using the average annual percent change (AAPC).
  
  
  RESULTS
  From 1999 to 2012, the number of diagnosed cases of vulvar cancer was 5,958, and the ASRs of incidence varied from 0.99 to 1.18, with a significant trend towards a decrease (AAPC -0.78; p < 0.05). The ASR of mortality varied from 0.39 to 0.62, with a slight but insignificant increase in trend (AAPC 0.72; p > 0.05). The ASR of vaginal cancer incidence varied from 0.21 to 0.31, while the ASR of mortality ranged from 0.09 to 0.22. This study also proved a significantly falling trend in vaginal cancer mortality (AAPC -4.69; p < 0.05) and a decreasing trend in vaginal cancer incidence (AAPC -1.67; p > 0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The rarity of vulvar and vaginal cancers as well as the decline in their incidence rates should not discourage further research on the epidemiology and treatment of these conditions.
authors.affiliation: Department of Gynecology and Oncology, Jagiellonian University Medical College, Krakow, Poland.
authors.forename: Tomasz
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Banas
authors.forename: Kzimierz
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Pitynski
authors.forename: Robert
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Jach
authors.forename: Anna
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Knafel
authors.forename: Artur
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ludwin
authors.forename: Grzegorz
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Juszczyk
authors.forename: Dorota
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Nieweglowska
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008875:Middle Aged; D009026:Mortality / Q000639:trends; D011044:Poland / Q000453:epidemiology; D014625:Vaginal Neoplasms / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000401:mortality*; D014846:Vulvar Neoplasms / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000401:mortality*