Bladder Cancer in Estonia, 1968-1992: Incidence, Mortality, Prevalence and Survival

Abstract

This paper summarizes what is known about the occurrence and survival of bladder cancer in Estonia from 1968 to 1992. In 1988-92 the age standardized (world standard) incidence rate of bladder cancer was 11.1 per 100,000 person-years in males and 2.0 in females, and the age standardized mortality rate was 8.2 and 2.7, respectively; by July 1, 1990 the age standardized prevalence rate was 41.5 and 14.7, respectively. Between 1968-72 and 1988-92, incidence increased by 1.26 times (95% confidence interval 1.09 to 1.46) among males; incidence rates for females did not show a consistent trend. The time trends in mortality generally paralleled the trends in incidence. Higher rates of bladder cancer were found among males in five large towns. For patients diagnosed in 1983-87, the five-year relative survival was 32.4% (95% confidence interval 27.0 to 37.8) for males and 32.5% (23.8 to 41.2) for females; throughout the 20 years there was no improvement in survival. As the survival rates are less favorable than those in the Nordic countries, further hospital-based studies are needed to investigate the relation between survival and clinical characteristics.

Key Words:

• bladder cancer
• incidence
• mortality
• prevalence
• survival
• time trend
• Estonia