Relationships between cancer pattern, country income and geographical region in Asia.
BACKGROUND
Cancer incidence and mortality varies across region, sex and country's economic status. While most studies focused on global trends, this study aimed to describe and analyse cancer incidence and mortality in Asia, focusing on cancer site, sex, region and income status.


METHODS
Age-standardised incidence and mortality rates of cancer were extracted from the GLOBOCAN 2012 database. Cancer mortality to incidence ratios (MIRs) were calculated to represent cancer survival. The data were analysed based on the four regions in Asia and income.


RESULTS
Cancer incidence rate is lower in Asia compared to the West but for MIR, it is the reverse. In Asia, the most common cancers in men are lung, stomach, liver, colorectal and oesophageal cancers while the most common cancers in women are breast, lung, cervical, colorectal and stomach cancers. The MIRs are the highest in lung, liver and stomach cancers and the lowest in colorectal, breast and prostate cancers. Eastern and Western Asia have a higher incidence of cancer compared to South-Eastern and South-Central Asia but this pattern is the reverse for MIR. Cancer incidence rate increases with country income particularly in colorectal and breast cancers but the pattern is the opposite for MIR.


CONCLUSIONS
This study confirms that there is a wide variation in cancer incidence and mortality across Asia. This study is the first step towards documenting and explaining the changing cancer pattern in Asia in comparison to the rest of the world.
Department of Primary Care Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Malaya, 50603, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. ngcj@um.edu.my.
Chirk Jenn
CJ
Ng
Department of Primary Care Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Malaya, 50603, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. chinhai923@gmail.com.
Chin Hai
CH
Teo
Department of Primary Care Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Malaya, 50603, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. nurdiana@ummc.edu.my.
Nurdiana
N
Abdullah
Department of Surgery, Thomas Jefferson University Hospital, Philadelphia, PA, 19107, USA. tanweiphin@yahoo.com.
Wei Phin
WP
Tan
Department of Primary Care Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Malaya, 50603, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. perandro@hotmail.com.|Subang Jaya Medical Centre, 47500, Subang Jaya, Malaysia. perandro@hotmail.com.
Hui Meng
HM
Tan
D001208:Asia / Q000453:epidemiology; D019049:Developed Countries / Q000191:economics / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D003906:Developing Countries / Q000191:economics / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005260:Female; D005843:Geography; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D007182:Income; D008019:Life Style; D008297:Male; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000453:epidemiology*; D012737:Sex Factors; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors