Trends in cancer incidence in the Republic of Mauritius, 1991-2015

Mauritius, a small state, is among the few African countries where cancer registration is population based and nationwide. We reported trends in cancer incidence for twenty five years as well as the mortality to incidence ratio (MIR) as main quality indicator of the Mauritius National Cancer Registry (MNCR).

We calculated age standardised incidence rates (ASRs) of cancers by sex and by 5 year age group for five successive year periods from 1991 to 2015. The average annual percentage change (AAPC) were determined by sex and cancer sites. MIRs were compared for the period 2001-2004 and 2012-2015.

In males, the most common cancer sites (in terms of ASRs per 100,000) were those of the colon-rectum (17.0), prostate (16.5), trachea-bronchus-lung (13.0), stomach (8.4) and lip-oral cavity-pharynx (7.7). The AAPC were +3.9%, +4.2%, +0.5%, -0.1% and -1.3% respectively. In females, the most frequent sites were breast (53.7), colon-rectum (13.2), cervix uteri (11.2), corpus uteri (7.7) and ovary (5.7). The AAPC were +3.4%, +4.4%, -2%, +5.2% and -0.1% respectively. The most significant decrease in MIRs among males were liver (1.9 to 1.0), stomach (1.3 to 0.8) and lung (1.7 to 1.2) cancers while among females, they were pancreas (3.4 to 1.3), liver (1.8 to 1.2) and stomach (1.5 to 0.8) cancers.

The most common cancers were those associated with 'westernisation' of lifestyle. Our figures contrast with other Sub-Saharan Africa countries where infection related cancers are most predominant. The MNCR has also improved its data quality over time.