Trends in gynecologic cancer among elderly women in Denmark, 1980-2012

The aim of this analysis was to describe trends in incidence, mortality, prevalence, and survival in Danish women with gynecologic cancer from 1980-2012 comparing women aged 70 years or more with younger women.

Gynecologic cancers included were ICD-10 codes C53 (cancer of the cervix uteri), C54 (corpus uteri cancer), C56 (ovarian cancer) and C57 (Fallopian tube cancer). Data derived from the NORDCAN database with comparable data on cancer incidence, mortality, prevalence and relative survival in the Nordic countries, where the Danish data are delivered from the Danish Cancer Registry and the Danish Cause of Death Registry with follow-up for death or emigration until the end of 2013.

For cervical cancer the incidence decreased among women aged less than 70 years and remained stable among the elderly. The mortality rates were clearly separated by age groups with a 2-3 fold higher mortality rate among 70 + years-old than younger women. The mortality rates, however, decreased in all age groups from 1980-2012. For ovarian and Fallopian tube cancers the incidence was almost constant, whereas the average annual number of deaths decreased over time from 466 in 1980 to 396 in 2012. The mortality rates were clearly separated by age groups with mortality rates 3-4 times higher among the elderly. The mortality rate decreased among women less than 70 years during the entire period. The average annual number of newly diagnosed corpus uteri cancer increased from 631 in 1980 to 773 in 2012. The mortality rates were clearly separated by age groups with much higher mortality rates among the 70+ years-old as compared with younger women. Overall the mortality rates decreased from 1980 to 2012.

In gynecologic cancer both mortality rates and survival are age-dependent with a significantly shorter survival in the group of elderly.