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. 2021 Jun 8;5(3):645-653.
doi: 10.1016/j.mayocpiqo.2021.05.005. eCollection 2021 Jun.

Cancer Mortality Rates Increasing vs Cardiovascular Disease Mortality Decreasing in the World: Future Implications

Karim ReFaey  1   2 , Shashwat Tripathi  1   3 , Sanjeet S Grewal  1 , Adip G Bhargav  4   5 , David J Quinones  6 , Kaisorn L Chaichana  1   7 , Samuel O Antwi  8 , Leslie T Cooper  9 , Fredric B Meyer  4 , Roxana S Dronca  10 , Robert B Diasio  11 , Alfredo Quinones-Hinojosa  1   7   12   13
Affiliations

Cancer Mortality Rates Increasing vs Cardiovascular Disease Mortality Decreasing in the World: Future Implications

Karim ReFaey et al. Mayo Clin Proc Innov Qual Outcomes. .

Abstract

Objective: To highlight the current global trends in mortality for cardiovascular disease and cancer.

Methods: The World Health Organization and the World Bank DataBank databases were used to analyze mortality rates for cancer and cardiovascular disease by calculating age-standardized mortality rates (ASRs) from 2000 to 2015 for high-income, upper-middle-income, and lower-middle-income countries. Data for cancer mortality and population for 43 countries representing 5 of the 7 continents (except Australia and Antarctica) were analyzed.

Results: From 2000 to 2015, there was an increase in the ASR for cancer for both men and women irrespective of a country's income status, representing an overall 7% increase in cancer ASR (Pearson r, +0.99; P<.00001). We report a higher ASR for cancer in high-income countries than in upper-middle-income and lower-middle-income countries specifically; high-income countries saw a 3% increase in cancer ASR vs +31% for upper-middle-income and +19% for lower-middle-income countries (P<.01). There has been a decrease in the ASR for cardiovascular disease for the 15 years analyzed (P<.00001). In addition, high-income countries had a higher ASR for cardiovascular disease than upper-middle-income countries during the 15-year period (P<.05).

Conclusion: We suspect that because of early detection and targeted interventions, cardiovascular disease mortality rates have decreased during the past decade. On the basis of our results, cancer mortality rates continue to rise, with the projection of surpassing cardiovascular disease mortality rates in the near future.

Keywords: ASR, age-standardized mortality rate; GBD, Global Burden of Disease; GNI, gross national income; WHO, World Health Organization.

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Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Death counts for cancer and heart disease from 2000 to 2015 are displayed. All deaths are displayed regardless of age and sex.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Trends in the age-standardized death rate (ASR) per 100,000 from 2000 to 2015 for cancer and heart disease broken down by income status.
Figure 3
Figure 3
World map showing the cancer age-standardized death rate (ASR) per 100,000 in 2015 broken down by income status.
Figure 4
Figure 4
Enabling steps in epidemiologic transitions. Schematic representing transitions of countries through 4 stages of pestilence and famine, receding pandemics, degenerative and man-made disease, and delayed degenerative disease and the key changes required for each transition.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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