Temporal trends in cancer incidence in a Peruvian population of the Social Health Insurance between 2000 and 2020

Cancer is one of the leading causes of disease burden in Peru, with significant regional disparities in incidence and mortality. The Moquegua region has experienced a sustained increase in risk factors and cancer burden without systematic studies to characterize its epidemiological profile. The objective of this study was to estimate the temporal trend in cancer incidence and describe its characteristics in the population insured by Social Health Insurance in Moquegua between 2000 and 2020.

A retrospective study was conducted based on institutional records of patients with cancer confirmed by pathological anatomy at Hospital Base II, Moquegua. Crude and age-adjusted incidence rates were calculated. Additionally, a joinpoint regression model was applied to analyze temporal trends. The analysis was stratified by sex and anatomical location. Furthermore, five-year overall survival was calculated for the most common neoplasms.

A total of 545 new cancer cases were identified during the study period. The overall age-adjusted incidence rate was 30.2 per 100 000 insured individuals, with a higher prevalence among women (55.2%). A significant upward shift was observed between 2013 and 2017. The most common sites were: breast (19.4%), prostate (18.0%), cervix (7.5%), colorectal (7.3%), and thyroid (7.0%). Breast cancer had the highest incidence rate; thyroid cancer had a survival rate close to 100%, while prostate cancer had the lowest overall survival rate.

The incidence of cancer in Moquegua has shown an upward trend since 2013, possibly associated with improvements in diagnostic capacity. Rates were higher among women, with a predominance of neoplasms common at the national level. These findings underscore the need to strengthen cancer surveillance through a territorial approach and to improve access to early-diagnosis services and timely treatment.