ABSTRACT
AIM: To investigate the incidence and mortality of gastric cancer (GC) in Zhuanghe region, northeast China and the influencing factors for their changing trends. METHODS: All new cancer cases and deaths registered from 2005 to 2010 in Zhuanghe County were reviewed. The annual GC cases, constituent ratio, crude rates, age-standardized rates, their sex and age distribution and temporal trends were assessed. The method of annual percentage change (APC) was used to estimate the trends of GC. RESULTS: Altogether 2634 new cases of GC and 1722 related deaths were registered, which accounted for 21.04% and 19.13% of all cancer-related incidence and deaths, respectively. The age-standardized incidence rate steadily decreased from 57.48 in 2005 to 44.53 in 2010 per 10(5) males, and from 18.13 to 14.70 per 10(5) females, resulting in a APC of -5.81% for males and -2.89% for females over the entire period. The magnitude of APC in GC mortality amounted to -11.09% and -15.23%, respectively, as the age-standardized mortality rate steadily decreased from 42.08 in 2005 to 23.71 in 2010 per 10(5) males, and from 23.86 to 10.78 per 10(5) females. Females had a significantly lower incidence (a male/female ratio 2.80, P < 0.001) and mortality (a male/female ratio 2.30, P < 0.001). In both genders, the peak incidence and mortality occurred in the 80-84 years age group. The age-standardized mortality/incidence ratio also decreased from the peak of 0.73 in 2005 to 0.53 in 2010 for males, and from 1.32 to 0.73 for females. CONCLUSION: Encouraging declines of incidence and mortality of GC were observed in Zhuanghe region between 2005 and 2010, possibly due to the economic development and efficient GC control strategies.
