Cervical, vaginal and vulvar cancer incidence and survival trends in Denmark, Finland, Norway and Sweden with implications to treatment
Abstract Background Incidence of cervical cancer has been reduced by organized screening while for vaginal and vulvar cancers no systematic screening has been implemented. All these cancers are associated with human papilloma virus (HPV) infection. We wanted to analyze incidence trends and relative...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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BMC
2022-04-01
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| Series: | BMC Cancer |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1186/s12885-022-09582-5 |
| _version_ | 1817982301200449536 |
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| author | Kari Hemminki Anna Kanerva Asta Försti Akseli Hemminki |
| author_facet | Kari Hemminki Anna Kanerva Asta Försti Akseli Hemminki |
| author_sort | Kari Hemminki |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Background Incidence of cervical cancer has been reduced by organized screening while for vaginal and vulvar cancers no systematic screening has been implemented. All these cancers are associated with human papilloma virus (HPV) infection. We wanted to analyze incidence trends and relative survival in these cancers with specific questions about the possible covariation of incidence, survival changes coinciding with incidence changes and the role of treatment in survival. We used nationwide cancer registry data for Denmark (DK), Finland (FI), Norway (NO) and Sweden (SE) to address these questions. Methods We use the NORDCAN database for the analyses: incidence data were available from 1943 in DK, 1953 in FI and NO and 1960 in SE, through 2016. Survival data were available from 1967 through 2016. World standard population was used in age standardization. Results In each country the incidence of cervical cancer declined subsequent to rolling out of screening activities. The attained plateau incidence was lowest at 4/100,000 in FI and highest at 10/100,000 in DK and NO. The incidence of vaginal and vulvar cancer remained relatively constant at about 2/100,000. Relative 1-year survival in cervical cancer improved in all countries from low 80%s to high 80%s in the 50-year period, and 5-year survival improved also but at 20% units lower level. Survival gains were found only in patients diagnosed before age 60 years. Survival in vaginal and vulvar cancer followed the same patterns but at a few % units lower level. Conclusion Cervical cancer screening appeared to have reached its limits in the Nordic countries by year 2000. Novel treatments, such as immunotherapy, would be needed to improve survival until HPV vaccination will reach population coverage and boost the global fight against these cancers. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-13T23:19:02Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-def38277ca2b4da0940202489d98d49f |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1471-2407 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-13T23:19:02Z |
| publishDate | 2022-04-01 |
| publisher | BMC |
| record_format | Article |
| series | BMC Cancer |
| spelling | doaj.art-def38277ca2b4da0940202489d98d49f2022-12-22T02:25:18ZengBMCBMC Cancer1471-24072022-04-0122111010.1186/s12885-022-09582-5Cervical, vaginal and vulvar cancer incidence and survival trends in Denmark, Finland, Norway and Sweden with implications to treatmentKari Hemminki0Anna Kanerva1Asta Försti2Akseli Hemminki3Faculty of Medicine and Biomedical Center in Pilsen, Charles University in PragueDepartment of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Helsinki University Hospital and University of HelsinkiHopp Children’s Cancer Center (KiTZ)Cancer Gene Therapy Group, Translational Immunology Research Program, University of HelsinkiAbstract Background Incidence of cervical cancer has been reduced by organized screening while for vaginal and vulvar cancers no systematic screening has been implemented. All these cancers are associated with human papilloma virus (HPV) infection. We wanted to analyze incidence trends and relative survival in these cancers with specific questions about the possible covariation of incidence, survival changes coinciding with incidence changes and the role of treatment in survival. We used nationwide cancer registry data for Denmark (DK), Finland (FI), Norway (NO) and Sweden (SE) to address these questions. Methods We use the NORDCAN database for the analyses: incidence data were available from 1943 in DK, 1953 in FI and NO and 1960 in SE, through 2016. Survival data were available from 1967 through 2016. World standard population was used in age standardization. Results In each country the incidence of cervical cancer declined subsequent to rolling out of screening activities. The attained plateau incidence was lowest at 4/100,000 in FI and highest at 10/100,000 in DK and NO. The incidence of vaginal and vulvar cancer remained relatively constant at about 2/100,000. Relative 1-year survival in cervical cancer improved in all countries from low 80%s to high 80%s in the 50-year period, and 5-year survival improved also but at 20% units lower level. Survival gains were found only in patients diagnosed before age 60 years. Survival in vaginal and vulvar cancer followed the same patterns but at a few % units lower level. Conclusion Cervical cancer screening appeared to have reached its limits in the Nordic countries by year 2000. Novel treatments, such as immunotherapy, would be needed to improve survival until HPV vaccination will reach population coverage and boost the global fight against these cancers.https://doi.org/10.1186/s12885-022-09582-5Incidence trendsHuman papilloma virusRisk factorsAge-specific incidenceRelative survival |
| spellingShingle | Kari Hemminki Anna Kanerva Asta Försti Akseli Hemminki Cervical, vaginal and vulvar cancer incidence and survival trends in Denmark, Finland, Norway and Sweden with implications to treatment BMC Cancer Incidence trends Human papilloma virus Risk factors Age-specific incidence Relative survival |
| title | Cervical, vaginal and vulvar cancer incidence and survival trends in Denmark, Finland, Norway and Sweden with implications to treatment |
| title_full | Cervical, vaginal and vulvar cancer incidence and survival trends in Denmark, Finland, Norway and Sweden with implications to treatment |
| title_fullStr | Cervical, vaginal and vulvar cancer incidence and survival trends in Denmark, Finland, Norway and Sweden with implications to treatment |
| title_full_unstemmed | Cervical, vaginal and vulvar cancer incidence and survival trends in Denmark, Finland, Norway and Sweden with implications to treatment |
| title_short | Cervical, vaginal and vulvar cancer incidence and survival trends in Denmark, Finland, Norway and Sweden with implications to treatment |
| title_sort | cervical vaginal and vulvar cancer incidence and survival trends in denmark finland norway and sweden with implications to treatment |
| topic | Incidence trends Human papilloma virus Risk factors Age-specific incidence Relative survival |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1186/s12885-022-09582-5 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT karihemminki cervicalvaginalandvulvarcancerincidenceandsurvivaltrendsindenmarkfinlandnorwayandswedenwithimplicationstotreatment AT annakanerva cervicalvaginalandvulvarcancerincidenceandsurvivaltrendsindenmarkfinlandnorwayandswedenwithimplicationstotreatment AT astaforsti cervicalvaginalandvulvarcancerincidenceandsurvivaltrendsindenmarkfinlandnorwayandswedenwithimplicationstotreatment AT akselihemminki cervicalvaginalandvulvarcancerincidenceandsurvivaltrendsindenmarkfinlandnorwayandswedenwithimplicationstotreatment |