Increasing incidence and survival of corpus uteri cancer in Estonia over the past two decades.

BACKGROUND

Corpus uteri cancer has become the fourth most common female cancer in Europe. In Estonia, the prevalence of obesity is increasing, and corpus uteri cancer survival has been relatively low. The aim of the study was to evaluate incidence, mortality and survival trends of corpus uteri cancer in Estonia by age, stage and histological subtypes with an emphasis on surgical treatment.

METHODS

Estonian Cancer Registry data on incident cases of corpus uteri cancer were used to examine incidence trends (1995-2016) and calculate relative survival ratios (RSR) (1996-2016). Cases were classified by morphology and FIGO stage. Causes of Death Registry data were used to analyse corrected mortality (1995-2017).

RESULTS

A total of 4281 cases were diagnosed in 1996-2016. A significant increase was seen in age-standardized incidence from 2009, while mortality remained stable throughout the study period. Significant increases were observed for type I cancers and age groups ≥65 years. Overall age-standardized 5-year RSR improved from 70% in 1996-2002 to 78% in 2010-2016. Survival increased for type I cancers, all age groups and all stages (significantly for stage IV). The proportion of surgically treated cases increased significantly from 85% to 89%, with the largest increases seen in older age groups and later stages.

DISCUSSION

The rising corpus uteri cancer incidence in Estonia is driven by the type I cancer trend. Survival gain for later stages and older age groups likely reflected more frequent surgical treatment. To reduce mortality, further efforts are necessary to ensure appropriate care for all patients.