Cancer Incidence, Mortality and Survival in Türkiye as of 2020

Abstract

Background: Cancer registration is better understood with the Globocan project. In our article, we compiled the cancer incidence, mortality, and survival data of Türkiye. We presented incidence and mortality-related data from the Global Cancer Observatory, and survival-related data from CONCORD-3. Non-melanoma skin cancers (NMSC) were excluded from interpretations for all indicators. The number of new cancer cases in Türkiye with a population of more than 80 million was estimated as 227,310 people in total, 128,802 in men and 98,508 in women. In the same year, 125,788 people were estimated that died due to cancer, of which 78,633 were men and 47,155 were women. The age-standardized incidence rate per 100,000 (ASIR, world standard population) of all cancers except for NMSC was estimated to be 225.6 (283.0 for men and 184.0 for women). The five most common cancers were breast cancer with an ASIR of 46.6, following prostate cancer (ASIR = 42.5), lung cancer (ASIR = 40.0), colorectal cancer (ASIR = 20.6), and thyroid cancer (ASIR = 14.3). The age-standardized mortality rate per 100,000 (ASMR, world standard population) of all cancers was estimated to be 119.9 (171.0 for men, 81.1 for women). The top 5 most common cancers for both sexes and all age groups were lung, breast, colorectal, prostate, and thyroid cancers, respectively. On the other hand, the top 5 most common cancer-caused deaths for both sexes and all age groups were lung, colorectal, stomach, pancreas, and breast cancers, respectively. The top 5 cancers with the worst 5-year age-standardized net survival rate for the sites of cancers in Türkiye between 2010 and 2014 were as follows: pancreas 10.4%, lung 14.9%, liver 15.9%, esophagus 19.0% and stomach 24.9%. Not only existing and increasing potential behavioral and possible environmental/occupational and metabolic risk factors over time are a public health threat for Türkiye, but also some unchangeable factors e.g. the aging population and the prolongation of life expectancy are contributing to increased cancer incidence. The prevalences of tobacco use and obesity are alarming. Policies to combat risk factors should be strengthened, especially the implementation of legal regulation regarding tobacco control in the field to achieve control of tobacco-related cancers. Incidence, mortality, and survival data are also considered, and preventive strategies with public health principles should be strengthened. In addition, population-based cancer registries and research on cancer epidemiology based on the data released from these registries should be supported.