Trends in cancer of the urinary bladder and urinary tract in elderly in Denmark, 2008-2012

The aim of this study was to examine the trends in incidence, mortality, survival, and prevalence of cancers of the urinary bladder and urinary tract in Denmark from 1980 to 2012 with particular focus on elderly patients over age 70 years.

Cancer of the urinary bladder and urinary tract was defined as ICD-10 codes C67.9, D09.0, D41.4. Data were derived from the NORDCAN database with comparable data on cancer incidence, mortality, prevalence and relative survival in the Nordic countries, where the Danish data were delivered from the Danish Cancer Registry and the Danish Cause of Death Registry.

The average annual number of bladder cancers increased from 1478 to 1810 (22%) from 1980 to 2012, with close to 60% occurring in the elderly population. The incidence rates were 7-10 times higher in persons aged 70 years or more compared with younger persons. Mortality rates were decreasing with time in all age groups but 90+-year-old men. The one- and five-year relative survival improved significantly with time for all age groups both in men and women. The prevalence increased two times from 6014 in 1980 to 12 359 in 2012 among men and from 1974 to 4454 among women. There was a relatively higher proportional increase in prevalence among elderly men compared to younger patients.

More prospective data are needed, preferably as randomized clinical trials, for determining the influence of age on the decisions of the surgical approach as well as chemo/radiotherapy for the elderly patients with urothelial cancers compared to younger patients.