title: Trends in site- and sex-specific cancer mortality between 1979 and 2010 in Belgium compared with Europe using WHO data.
abstract: Cancer mortality constitutes a major health burden in Europe. Trends are different for men and women, and across Europe. This study aims to map out Belgian cancer mortality trends for the most common cancer types in both sexes between 1979 and 2010, and to link these with trends in cancer mortality and smoking prevalence across Europe.
  
  
  
  Mortality and population data were obtained from the World Health Organization Mortality Database. Age-standardized mortality rates were calculated by direct standardization using the European Standard Population.
  
  
  
  Belgian mortality decreased for the most common cancer sites between 1979 and 2010, except for female lung cancer. Yet, Belgian male lung and female breast cancer rates remain high compared with the remainder of Western Europe. For some cancer sites, mortality trends are similar among the European Regions (e.g. stomach cancer), yet for others trends are divergent (e.g. colorectal cancer).
  
  
  
  Generally, cancer mortality shows a favorable trend in Belgium and Europe. Yet, female lung cancer mortality rates are increasing in Belgium. Furthermore, Belgium still has higher male lung and female breast cancer mortality rates compared with the European regional averages. Considering this and the current smoking prevalence, enduring tobacco control efforts should be made.
authors.affiliation: Interface Demography, Department of Social Research, Faculty of Economic, Political and Social Sciences and Solvay Business School, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Brussels 1050, Belgium.
authors.forename: Katrien
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Vanthomme
authors.affiliation: Interface Demography, Department of Social Research, Faculty of Economic, Political and Social Sciences and Solvay Business School, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Brussels 1050, Belgium.
authors.forename: Hadewijch
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Vandenheede
authors.affiliation: Interface Demography, Department of Social Research, Faculty of Economic, Political and Social Sciences and Solvay Business School, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Brussels 1050, Belgium.
authors.forename: Paulien
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Hagedoorn
authors.affiliation: Interface Demography, Department of Social Research, Faculty of Economic, Political and Social Sciences and Solvay Business School, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Brussels 1050, Belgium.
authors.forename: Patrick
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Deboosere
authors.affiliation: Interface Demography, Department of Social Research, Faculty of Economic, Political and Social Sciences and Solvay Business School, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Brussels 1050, Belgium.
authors.forename: Sylvie
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Gadeyne
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001530:Belgium / Q000453:epidemiology; D005060:Europe / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000401:mortality; D008297:Male; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000401:mortality*; D015995:Prevalence; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012737:Sex Factors; D012907:Smoking / Q000453:epidemiology; D014944:World Health Organization; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Europe; cancer; mortality; trends