title: Trends in upper gastro-intestinal cancer among the elderly in Denmark, 1980-2012.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Upper gastro-intestinal cancer (UGIC) includes malignancies in esophagus, stomach and small intestine, and represents some of the most frequent malignancies worldwide. The aim of the present analysis was to describe incidence, mortality and survival in UGIC patients in Denmark from 1980 to 2012 according to differences in age and time periods.
  
  
  METHODS
  UGIC was defined as ICD-10 codes C15-C17. Data derived from the NORDCAN database with comparable data on cancer incidence mortality, prevalence and relative survival in the Nordic countries, where the Danish data were delivered from the Danish Cancer Registry and the Danish Cause of Death Registry with follow-up for death or emigration until the end of 2013.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The proportion of male patients over the age of 70 years diagnosed with esophageal cancer was constant over time (around 42%) but increased in females to 49% in 2012. Incidence rates increased with time and continued to rise in all ages. Mortality rates were clearly separated by age groups with increasing mortality rates by increasing age group for both sexes. Relative survival increased slowly over time in all age groups. The proportion of older male and female patients with stomach cancer increased to 50% and 54%, respectively, in 2012. Incidence rates decreased steadily with time, especially from 1980 to 1990 but continued to decrease in all age groups. Mortality rates decreased considerably from 1980 to 90 and have been almost constant during the last decade for both women and men. Relative survival increased modest over time in both genders and all age groups. In 2012, only 1471 persons were alive after a diagnosis of stomach cancer.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  There is a need for clinical trials focusing on patients over the age of 70 years with co-existing comorbidity.
authors.affiliation: a Department of Oncology , Odense University Hospital , Denmark ;
authors.forename: Katrine R
authors.initials: KR
authors.lastname: Schønnemann
authors.affiliation: b Institute of Clinical Research, University of Southern Denmark , Denmark ;|c Department of Surgery , Odense University Hospital , Denmark.
authors.forename: Michael B
authors.initials: MB
authors.lastname: Mortensen
authors.affiliation: a Department of Oncology , Odense University Hospital , Denmark ;
authors.forename: Merete
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Krogh
authors.affiliation: a Department of Oncology , Odense University Hospital , Denmark ;
authors.forename: Eva
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Holtved
authors.affiliation: a Department of Oncology , Odense University Hospital , Denmark ;
authors.forename: Mette Maia S
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Andersen
authors.affiliation: a Department of Oncology , Odense University Hospital , Denmark ;|b Institute of Clinical Research, University of Southern Denmark , Denmark ;
authors.forename: Per
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Pfeiffer
mesh_terms: D017677:Age Distribution; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D015897:Comorbidity; D003718:Denmark / Q000453:epidemiology; D004938:Esophageal Neoplasms / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000401:mortality; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D007414:Intestinal Neoplasms / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000401:mortality; D007421:Intestine, Small; D008297:Male; D012042:Registries; D017678:Sex Distribution; D013274:Stomach Neoplasms / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000401:mortality; D015996:Survival Rate