[Cancer mortality trends in Andalusia (Spain) between 1975 and 2003]

To describe cancer mortality trends in Andalusia for cancer as a whole and for their main locations, by age and gender groups during 1975-2003.

Mortality rates age and gender-adjusted have been estimated through cancer mortality data coming from mortality and polpulation official statistics. Joinpoint regression analysis has been used in order to quantify trends and their points of change.

Cancer as a whole has showed a descending trend among women and an ascending trend among men, for the period 1975-2003. Annual change rates were -0.45% and 0.42% for women and men respectively, and both of them, statistically significant (p < 0.05). By age, except for the elder group, a fall is noted, both among women and among men. Among women, breast cancer was the first cause of cancer death; in 1993 it appeared a statistically significant change from ascendent to descendent trend. Among men, lung cancer was the first mortality cause; in 1996 appeared a significant trend change and it began to go down. Colon and rectum cancer was the second one in magnitude, both among men and women, but far from the first one and with an ascendent trend, specially among men.

Cancer mortality shows a descending trend among andalusian women, with a similar rate to the Spanish average. Among men, the trend is ascendent with a higher magnitude than the national average.