Neoplasms (C00-D48) in Osijek-Baranja County from 2001 to 2006, Croatia

The Institute of Public Health of the Osijek-Baranja County has processed the data on cancer patients that were collected from mandatory county hospitals data reports, county bureaus of statistics and the County Register of Deaths. The cancers were defined according the International Statistical Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems, 10th Revision (ICD-10), codes of malignant neoplasms (C00-C97), in situ neoplasms (D00-D09) and neoplasms of uncertain or unknown behaviour (D37-D48). The aim of this article was to show the size of the cancer problem in Osijek-Baranja County (OBC) according to the all ICD-10 cancer groups. The cancer incidence and mortality estimated in period 2001-2006 were prepared for all cancers based on gender and for age groups 0-19, 20-44, 45-64, 65+ by the year of the first diagnosis of cancer. The median age at cancer diagnosis was 62.7 years, 61.2 years for females and 64.1 years for males. Applying the EU age-standardized rate, the average annual incidence and mortality rates in the OBC were 411.6/ 100,000 and 240.7/100,000, respectively. The incidence rates in both genders were highest for neoplasms of digestive organs (C15-C26), respiratory and intrathoracic organs (C30-C39) and for breast (C50) (101.1, 63.6 and 44.3/100,000, respectively). The first two groups of cancer in both genders were also the leading groups of cancer in males (141.6 and 124.9/100,000). The third position in males belonged to neoplasms of male's genital organs (C60-C63, 58/100,000). The leading group in females was C50 (79.3/100,000), followed by groups C15-C26 (73.2/100,000) and in situ neoplasms (D00-D09) (51.4/100,000). The course and shape of mortality rate in the whole corresponded to the incidence rate, but at the lower level. The only exception referred to group C15-C26 (56.8/100,000) as leading mortality cancer group in females. The overall 5-year relative survival was 40.1%. Considering females, this rate amounted to 48.8% while this figure was much lower in men--32.4%. In age group 65+, 52.6% of cancer patients developed a cancer and 65.4% of patients died at the same age. These basic parameters indicate that the OBC must put great efforts in creating a long-term strategy for cancer prevention and early diagnostics in order to prolong life and improve the quality of life of cancer patients and raise the proportion of 5-year survival.