RESUMO
BACKGROUND: In the past decade, the incidence of thyroid cancer (TC) has shown a stable increase, for both sexes, in many parts of the world at a rate faster than for any other type of malignancy. The aim of our study was to analyze and report changes in TC incidence in Serbia, as well as to evaluate potential reasons for these changes. So far, the incidence of TC in Serbia has not been reported. MATERIAL AND METHODS: This is a retrospective descriptive epidemiological study of TC data from the Cancer Register for Serbia for a ten year period, from 1999 to 2008. Crude rates (CR), age-specific rates (ASR), age-adjusted rates (AAR), linear trends and average annual percentage changes (AAPC) were calculated and analyzed. RESULTS: TC incidence increased substantially for both genders with the highest increase in 2007 for the age group 50-59 (females 14.2, males 10.3). TC was three times more common in females (CR 4.7:1.5). The AAR for females ranged 1.9-4.8 (3.3, 95% CI 2.6-4.0), for males 1.0-2.6 (1.0, 95% CI 0.8-1.2) and for both sexes combined 1.4-3.2 (2.2, 95% CI 1.7-2.6). The incidence trend for males showed an increase (y =0.05x + 0.70, p =0.058). It was highly statistically significant for females (y =0.31x + 1.61, p <0.001) and both genders combined (y =0.18x + 1.18, p <0.001). AAPC was highest for ages 20-29 and 30-39, for females (+25.2%) and males (+17.3%), respectively. CONCLUSIONS: We found a substantial increase in TC incidence in Serbia for both genders. The highest increase in TC incidence was found in females aged 20 to 29 years while the highest incidence was found in the age group 50 to 59.
RESUMO
The aim of this study was to assess regional survival differences among childhood cancer patients in Europe. For this exercise, the Automated Childhood Cancer Information System (ACCIS) database was utilised. Survival data from 54 population-based cancer registries on 49,651 childhood cancer patients aged 0-14 years and diagnosed in 1988-1997 were analysed using life-table method. Overall, the 5-year survival was 72% among all patients, varying from 62% to 77% between the five geographical regions. The East region generally had lower survival rates than the rest of Europe. The geographical differences indicate the need for more co-ordination, systematisation and standardisation in diagnosis, referral and the treatment of childhood cancers in Europe. Increase of resources is necessary to improve the lower survival in the East region. Continuing data collection on a European level will facilitate monitoring of population-based survival of childhood cancer patients.