Incidence Trends and Geographic Variations of Corpus Uteri and Cervical Cancer in Taiwan, 1995-2022: A...

To examine long-term incidence trends of cervical cancer and corpus uteri cancer in Taiwan from 1995 to 2022, with emphasis on age-period-cohort patterns and regional variation.

Data from the Taiwan cancer registry were analyzed. Age-standardized incidence rates (ASRs) were calculated using the 1976 World Standard Population. Temporal trends were evaluated using Joinpoint regression to estimate annual percent changes (APCs) and average annual percent changes (AAPCs). Age-period-cohort modeling was applied to assess net drift, cohort effects, and period effects. Subgroup analyses were conducted by geographic region and urbanization level.

Cervical cancer incidence declined markedly, with ASRs decreasing from 20.06 to 6.78 per 100,000 women between 1995 and 2022 (AAPC = -4.43%, 95% CI: -5.39 to -3.45). In contrast, corpus uteri cancer incidence increased substantially, with ASRs rising from 2.91 to 17.42 per 100,000 women (AAPC = 6.32%, 95% CI: 5.86-6.78). Age-period-cohort analysis revealed a negative net drift for cervical cancer (-5.0% per year) and a positive net drift for corpus uteri cancer (6.1% per year). Cohort effects indicated decreasing cervical cancer risk among women born after 1960, whereas corpus uteri cancer risk increased in successive younger cohorts. Period effects showed pronounced declines in cervical cancer incidence after 2000, patterns that are compatible with the implementation of organized screening, while corpus uteri cancer continued to rise.

Cervical cancer incidence in Taiwan has declined substantially over the past three decades, a pattern that is compatible with the long-term impact of organized screening programs. In contrast, the increasing burden of corpus uteri cancer may be associated with generational shifts in metabolic and reproductive risk factors.