Trends in the survival of patients diagnosed with cancer in female genital organs in the Nordic countries 1964-2003 followed up to the end of 2006

Abstract

Cancers of the female genital organs constitute more than 12% of all female cancers in the Nordic countries. The group includes cervix uteri, corpus uteri, ovary and other female genital organs including vulva and vagina, and in this study we compare the development in the Nordic countries regarding incidence, mortality and relative survival.

Material and methods: Data were retrieved from the NORDCAN database for the period 1964 to 2003, grouped into eight 5-year periods. The patients were followed up until the end of 2006. Analyses comprised trends in 5-year relative survival, excess mortality and age-specific relative survival.

Results: A substantial reduction of cervical cancer incidence followed the introduction of population-based screening in the 1970s and was also accompanied by a modest improvement in survival. Incidence trends in cancer of corpus uteri varied between the countries but the survival increased by around 20 percentage points during the study period in all countries. Ovarian cancer patients have the lowest survival among female genital cancers, but survival increased 10-15 percentage points over the 40 years of observation, while the incidence and mortality were rather stable throughout the observed period. Cancers of the other female genital organs, including vulva and vagina, are rare diagnoses and only small changes in incidence, mortality and survival have been observed over time.

Conclusion: The declining trends in cervical cancer incidence and mortality, and improving survival of corpus uteri cancer patients, are in contrast with the rather poor prognosis associated with an ovarian cancer diagnosis. Cancer-specific differences between countries in the survival of female patients diagnosed with cancers of the cervix uteri, corpus uteri and other female genital organs are small.