[Age specific and age corrected mortality in gynecological carcinoma--including breast carcinoma]

Quality of life and life span are parameters which characterise a successful tumour diagnosis and therapy. We found out that the age-specific death rate and standardised death rate concerning gynaecological cancers and carcinoma of the breast in Bavaria increased and we compared different years. The standardized mortality ratio increased between 1977 and 1990 from 91 to about 108% Neither diagnostics using update equipment nor an individualised therapy improved the situation. The slightly increasing incidence rate does not explain the present rate of deaths in cancer. An important factor is the younger age and the endocrine situation of women at the time of the primary disease. 50% of our patients are less than 55 years old and pre- or perimenopausal. Estrogen-gestagen combinations used in contraceptives and hormone replacement therapy (HRS) seem to have a stimulating effect (Henderson). The significant decrease in cervical cancer is encouraging, but does not compensate the increase in breast cancer. No significant change is seen in ovarian cancer.