Trends in Incidence and Mortality of Female Cancers Among Sri Lankan Women 1995-2010

Background: Sri Lanka is facing epidemiologic transition from communicable diseases to noncommunicable diseases in recent decades. Aim: This study analyses the trends in incidence and mortality of all cancers, breast cancer, cervical, ovarian and uterine cancers among Sri Lankan females over 1995-2010. Methods: Cancer incidence was obtained from the published national hospital based cancer registries, Sri Lanka for 1995-2010. Cancer mortality was abstracted from World Health Organization (WHO) database for 1996-2003 and 2006 and Department of Census and Statistics Sri Lanka for 1995 and 2004-2010 where WHO data were not available. Number of new cases and deaths were obtained by five-year age group for all cancers by sex and breast, cervical, ovarian and uterine cancers for females. Particular cancer specific incidence and mortality rates were directly age-standardized to the world population and age standardized rates were calculated for all ages, 20-34, 35-64 and over 64 years. Results: Female, age-standardized rates (ASR) for incidence for all cancers rose from 63.3 to 87.5 per 100 000 population during 1995-2010 and morality increased from 44.5 to 53.5 per 100 000 population over 1995-2010. In spite of having basically similar trends in both sexes, female incidence remained higher and mortality lower than males. Breast cancer was the commonest cancer among females with its incidence and mortality increasing through-out. Cervical cancer incidence increased during 1995- 2000, declined slightly in 2005 and remained stable over 2006-2010. Cervical cancer mortality remained stable over 1995-1999, declined in 1999-2003, increased in a lesser extend throughout 2003-2006 and remained stable during 2007-2010. Ovarian cancer incidence remained stable over 1995-2010 with 35-64 years being highest. Its mortality remained stable over 1995-2000 and declined slightly during 2000-2003 and increased in 2003-2010 with over 64 years being highest. Uterine cancer incidence and mortality increased steadily throughout 1995-2010. For all above mentioned cancers, incidence and mortality in 0-34 years remained low. Conclusion: Increasing trend of cancer incidence and mortality among females over 1995-2010, directs the need of revisiting breast cancer and cervical cancer control program in the country and strengthening awareness and early diagnosis and timely treatment of the other gynecologic cancers.