Development of incidence (1970-2003) and mortality (1952-2003) of cancer in Germany

Current data on how incidence and mortality of cancer change arouse public interest. In order to obtain precise quantitative information, we performed a trend analysis using data on mortality of the last 52 years in Germany and on incidence of the last 34 years in the Saarland. The evaluation is based on mortality data taken from the official statistics of causes of deaths (sources: Federal Office of Statistics and WHO) as well as on incidence data taken from the cancer registry of the Saarland. The age-standardized mortality rate for cancer in general as well as for most types of cancer except for lung cancer in women exhibits a statistically significant decline. Recently the incidence rates are also no longer increasing significantly. Nevertheless there still are growing incidence rates for colorectal tumors, breast and prostate cancer as well as lymphomas. In contrast, the incidence of malignant neoplasms of the stomach is declining in both genders, of the gallbladder in women as well as of laryngeal and lung cancer in men. Primary prevention obviously is responsible for the decline of lung cancer in men as well as early diagnosis for the decline of cervical cancer in women. Treatment successes may significantly be involved in the decrease of breast and testicular cancer as well as lymphomas. Conversely, the facts that lung cancer mortality in females has not been reversed, cervical cancer mortality is declining more slowly, or a decrease in breast cancer mortality occurs later compared to other countries reveal weaknesses in prevention, early diagnosis, and quick implementation of modern disease management.