Cancer in the Faroe Islands from 1960-2019 – incidence, mortality, and comparisons with the other Nordic countries

Figures & data

Table 1. Cancer incidence in the Faroe Islands from 1960 to 2019 per 100,000.

	Women						Men
Cancer groups	1960–1969	1970–1979	1980–1989	1990–1999	2000–2009	2010–2019	1960–1969	1970–1979	1980–1989	1990–1999	2000–2009	2010–2019
All cancers	121.2	159.2	184.1	199.7	232.1	248.3	105.9	159.8	228.2	221.1	220.4	288.2
Lip, oral cavity, and pharynx	3.2	2.7	0.93	5.6	3.3	4.1	4.8	5.6	6.7	4.7	7.4	7.6
Digestive organs	32.3	37.6	40.4	34.0	48.1	46.7	42.1	50.0	69.0	57.0	54.6	67.7
Respiratory system	4.0	5.1	9.5	17.0	16.5	20.9	11.8	28.3	43.6	38.5	27.1	31.7
Skin	3.1	4.0	8.0	12.2	21.6	13.7	4.9	4.2	8.1	10.0	13.4	13.2
Female organs	19.2	35.5	38.0	45.4	43.4	35.4
Male organs							11.4	16.6	34.5	34.3	61.4	87.4
Urinary tract	7.8	7.6	12.1	6.9	8.2	11.6	8.3	17.8	22.2	28.8	19.3	27.2
Malignant hematopoietic diseases	0.55	4.1	8.1	11.8	13.1	17.8	2.4	6.4	14.7	14.5	18.1	27.3
Other cancers	16.4	19.2	21.7	25.0	18.3	26.2	16.3	30.9	29.2	32.2	18.6	24.3
Individual cancer entities
Esophagus	2.9	3.4	2.0	1.9	2.3	1.8	5.4	3.7	2.3	5.6	5.6	9.4
Stomach	7.8	9.0	6.4	4.9	5.5	2.7	23.5	14.4	23.0	14.9	6.9	6.6
Colon	9.4	12.3	17.3	11.6	14.6	20.1	3.2	11.3	18.4	16.1	16.9	24.8
Rectum	5.6	4.4	5.9	6.6	16.3	12	2.8	8.8	8.1	8.9	11.1	12.6
Liver	0.0	1.3	0.84	1.5	1.5	1.9	0.0	1.9	4.0	3.0	3.2	3.2
Pancreas	6.1	6.2	5.6	5.8	6.8	6.0	6.6	9.0	8.5	7.6	8.9	10.4
Lung	3.0	5.1	8.1	16.2	15.6	20.1	10.3	24.6	37.7	34	21.2	27.5
Melanoma	0.52	0.56	2.6	2.1	17.9	8.8	0.0	1.4	1.5	2.3	6.7	6.7
Breast cancer	34.5	43.4	45.2	41.7	59.6	71.8	0.0	0.0	0.34	1.3	0.54	1.8
Cervix uteri	8.1	14.6	18.1	18.8	16.0	9.4
Corpus uteri	4.2	8.1	6.9	10.9	15.6	11.7
Ovary and tubes	5.1	11.8	11.3	13.7	9.7	11.6
Prostate							8.7	13.9	25.0	26.3	46.8	70.6
Testicular							2.2	2.7	9.5	7.3	13.1	16.9
Kidney	7.3	4.6	7.2	4.1	5.1	8.1	7.0	8.4	11.4	8.7	6.5	12.2
Bladder and urinary tract	0.46	3.0	4.9	2.7	3.1	3.6	1.3	9.4	10.8	20.1	12.7	15.0
Brain and CNS including endocrine tumors	2.8	5.8	6.7	10.2	6.0	11.7	5.6	12.9	8.0	14.2	8.0	10.1

The rates shown are age-standardized to the world standard. Graphical presentations can be seen on https://nordcan.iarc.fr/en.

Table 2. Cancer mortality in the Faroe Islands from 1983 to 2019 per 100,000.

	Women				Men
Cancer groups	1983–1989	1990–1999	2000–2009	2010–2019	1983–1989	1990–1999	2000–2009	2010–2019
All cancers	98.6	100.1	91.1	82.3	136.6	139.8	117	108.3
Lip, oral cavity, and pharynx	0.0	1.3	0.57	1.0	1.7	2.8	2.2	2.5
Digestive organs	26.6	27.0	27.3	20.3	47.7	41.1	36.4	35.6
Respiratory system	7.2	11.2	13.5	15.3	37.7	31.6	22.7	21.8
Skin	0.0	0.91	0.57	0.88	0.31	0.82	0.76	2.0
Female organs	18.3	17.5	12.0	13.6
Male organs					12.9	18	16.6	17.0
Urinary tract	7.3	3.8	3.3	5.7	9.1	15.2	9.5	7.6
Malignant hematopoietic diseases	5.2	8.2	6.8	3.1	11.1	9.6	11.5	10.4
Other cancers	11.9	13.5	12.0	11.1	16.2	20.5	16.9	11.0
Individual cancer entities
Esophagus	1.6	1.3	1.9	1.2	3.1	4.7	4.3	6.6
Stomach	5.5	4.4	4.8	2.4	16.4	11.8	6.3	3.0
Colon	7.9	9.2	7.1	6.2	10.2	9.0	10.2	8.7
Rectum	4.2	2.8	3.1	2.7	3.8	3.2	4.0	2.7
Liver	0.65	2.1	1.0	1.1	3.2	3.3	1.6	2.7
Pancreas	4.3	5.9	8.1	5.4	6.8	8.5	9.3	11.1
Lung	7.2	11.0	13.2	14.8	36.2	30.1	20.1	20.8
Melanoma	0.0	0.91	0.48	0.54	0.0	0.41	0.59	1.8
Breast cancer	22.2	16.8	14.9	11.2	0.0	0.17	0.45	0.23
Cervix uteri	3.3	5.9	2.3	3.1
Corpus uteri	3.7	1.9	2.3	1.4
Ovary and tubes	9.3	8.6	5.8	7.6
Prostate					11.9	17.3	16.1	16.6
Testicular					0.96	0.37	0.19	0.0
Kidney	6.3	2.1	2.9	3.7	5.3	5.7	5.8	3.3
Bladder and urinary tract	0.98	1.7	0.37	2.0	3.9	9.5	3.6	4.3
Brain and CNS including endocrine tumors	5.2	4.2	3.8	4.0	4.2	8.2	6.2	5.2

The rates shown are age-standardized to the world standard. Mortality data in the Faroe Islands is available from 1983. Graphical presentations can be seen on https://nordcan.iarc.fr/en.

Table 3. Cancer incidence and mortality in the Faroe Islands and the NORDCAN countries and rate ratios from 2010 to 2019 – Women.

	Incidence			Mortality
Cancer groups	Faroe Islands (n)	NORDCAN countries (n)	IRR (95% CI)	Faroe Islands (n)	NORDCAN countries (n)	MRR (95% CI)
All cancers	248.3	297.3	0.83	82.3	84.1	0.98
	(1,072)	(788,139)	(0.79–0.89)	(452)	(297,091)	(0.89–1.07)
Lip, oral cavity, and pharynx	4.1	4.7	0.87	1.0	1.1	0.91
	(16)	(12,395)	(0.53–1.42)	(5)	(3,584)	(0.38–2.19)
Digestive organs	46.7	44.1	1.06	20.3	22.2	0.91
	(218)	(141,259)	(0.93–1.21)	(123)	(84,075)	(0.77–1.09)
Respiratory system	20.9	24.4	0.86	15.3	16.8	0.91
	(96)	(73,172)	(0.7–1.05)	(79)	(55,555)	(0.73–1.14)
Skin	13.7	34.2	0.39	0.9	1.9	0.46
	(58)	(99,013)	(0.3–0.51)	(5)	(6,303)	(0.19–1.11)
Female organs	35.4	33.9	1.06	13.6	9.8	1.39
	(145)	(84,336)	(0.9–1.25)	(67)	(32,597)	(1.08–1.79)
Urinary tract	11.6	11.6	1.00	5.7	2.9	1.97
	(53)	(35,190)	(0.76–1.31)	(30)	(12,346)	(1.37–2.81)
Malignant hematopoietic diseases	17.8	24.9	0.71	3.1	6.2	0.50
	(76)	(65,803)	(0.57–0.89)	(24)	(25,520)	(0.34–0.75)
Other cancers	26.2	32.4	0.81	11.1	10.4	1.07
	(105)	(72,776)	(0.67–0.98)	(58)	(36,404)	(0.82–1.38)
Individual cancer entities
Esophagus	1.8	1.4	1.29	1.2	1.0	1.20
	(10)	(4,446)	(0.69–2.39)	(8)	(3,634)	(0.6–2.4)
Stomach	2.7	3.1	0.87	2.4	2.1	1.14
	(12)	(9,728)	(0.49–1.53)	(14)	(7,222)	(0.68–1.93)
Colon	20.1	19.3	1.05	6.2	6.6	0.94
	(93)	(64,055)	(0.85–1.28)	(42)	(26,855)	(0.69–1.27)
Rectum	12.0	8.4	1.43	2.7	2.3	1.17
	(56)	(24,703)	(1.1–1.86)	(16)	(8,817)	(0.72–1.92)
Liver	1.9	2.1	0.90	1.1	1.8	0.61
	(8)	(6,494)	(0.45–1.81)	(7)	(6,571)	(0.29–1.28)
Pancreas	6.0	6.7	0.90	5.4	6.4	0.84
	(31)	(21,901)	(0.63–1.27)	(30)	(23,606)	(0.59–1.21)
Lung	20.1	23.3	0.86	14.8	16.3	0.91
	(92)	(70,266)	(0.7–1.06)	(76)	(54,126)	(0.73–1.14)
Melanoma	8.8	21.9	0.39	0.5	1.7	0.32
	(30)	(47,818)	(0.27–0.57)	(3)	(5,327)	(0.1–0.99)
Breast	71.8	87.1	0.82	11.2	12.9	0.87
	(305)	(204,195)	(0.74–0.92)	(60)	(40,705)	(0.67–1.12)
Cervix uteri	9.4	8.3	1.13	3.1	1.5	2.07
	(31)	(14,247)	(0.8–1.61)	(12)	(3,795)	(1.17–3.64)
Corpus uteri	11.7	13.6	0.86	1.4	1.4	1.00
	(58)	(38,301)	(0.66–1.11)	(9)	(5,438)	(0.52–1.92)
Ovary and tubes	11.6	9.2	1.26	7.6	5.3	1.43
	(45)	(23,052)	(0.94–1.69)	(36)	(16,601)	(1.03–1.99)
Kidney	8.1	5.4	1.50	3.7	1.4	2.64
	(34)	(14,266)	(1.07–2.1)	(16)	(5,675)	(1.62–4.32)
Bladder and urinary tract	3.6	6.3	0.57	2.0	1.5	1.33
	(19)	(20,924)	(0.36–0.9)	(14)	(6,671)	(0.79–2.25)
Brain and CNS including endocrine tumors	11.7	14.0	0.84	4.0	3.6	1.11
	(38)	(28,596)	(0.61–1.15)	(18)	(9,812)	(0.7–1.76)

The rates shown are age-standardized to the world standard. The NORDCAN countries are Denmark, Faroe Islands, Finland, Greenland, Iceland, Norway, and Sweden. Abbreviations: IRR – Incidence rate ratio. 95%CI – 95% Confidence interval.

Table 4. Cancer incidence and mortality in the Faroe Islands and the NORDCAN countries and rate ratios from 2010 to 2019 – Men.

	Incidence			Mortality
Cancer groups	Faroe Islands (n)	NORDCAN countries (n)	IRR (95%CI)	Faroe Islands (n)	NORDCAN countries (n)	MRR (95%CI)
All cancers	288.2	336.3	0.86	108.3	108.6	1.00
	(1,339)	(882,799)	(0.81–0.9)	(596)	(330,276)	(0.92–1.08)
Lip, oral cavity, and pharynx	7.6	9.2	0.83	2.5	2.6	0.96
	(34)	(21,657)	(0.59–1.16)	(11)	(6,828)	(0.53–1.74)
Digestive organs	67.7	63.2	1.07	35.6	33.8	1.05
	(339)	(172,878)	(0.96–1.19)	(193)	(99,340)	(0.91–1.21)
Respiratory system	31.7	31.6	1.00	15.3	16.8	0.92
	(160)	(89,148)	(0.86–1.17)	(116)	(70,476)	(0.77–1.1)
Skin	13.2	38.9	0.34	2.0	3.3	0.61
	(63)	(110,130)	(0.27–0.43)	(9)	(9,272)	(0.32–1.17)
Male organs	87.4	101.0	0.87	17.0	15.3	1.11
	(391)	(264,495)	(0.78–0.96)	(110)	(56,134)	(0.92–1.34)
Urinary tract	27.2	31.2	0.87	7.6	7.3	1.04
	(129)	(85,463)	(0.73–1.04)	(45)	(23,506)	(0.78–1.39)
Malignant hematopoietic diseases	27.3	34.9	0.78	10.4	10.1	1.03
	(113)	(83,147)	(0.65–0.94)	(54)	(31,509)	(0.79–1.34)
Other cancers	24.3	25.7	0.95	11.0	12.3	0.89
	(103)	(54,402)	(0.78–1.15)	(56)	(32,934)	(0.69–1.16)
Individual cancer entities
Esophagus	9.4	4.6	2.04	6.6	3.7	1.78
	(47)	(12,168)	(1.53–2.72)	(34)	(10,266)	(1.27–2.5)
Stomach	6.6	5.8	1.14	3.0	3.8	0.79
	(34)	(15,970)	(0.81–1.59)	(16)	(10,869)	(0.48–1.29)
Colon	24.8	22.1	1.12	8.7	8.2	1.06
	(124)	(62,372)	(0.94–1.34)	(50)	(25,514)	(0.8–1.4)
Rectum	12.6	13.9	0.91	3.2	4.3	0.74
	(62)	(37,222)	(0.71–1.16)	(18)	(12,707)	(0.47–1.18)
Liver	3.2	5.1	0.63	2.7	4.1	0.66
	(16)	(13,454)	(0.38–1.02)	(15)	(11,724)	(0.4–1.09)
Pancreas	10.4	8.1	1.28	11.1	7.9	1.41
	(53)	(22,218)	(0.98–1.68)	(58)	(22,903)	(1.09–1.82)
Lung	27.5	27.7	0.99	20.8	21.9	0.95
	(141)	(78,626)	(0.84–1.17)	(110)	(64,966)	(0.79–1.15)
Melanoma	6.7	20.3	0.33	1.8	2.9	0.62
	(28)	(47,986)	(0.23–0.48)	(8)	(7,927)	(0.31–1.24)
Prostate	70.6	91.7	0.77	16.6	14.9	1.11
	(349)	(250,246)	(0.69–0.86)	(109)	(55,149)	(0.92–1.35)
Testicular	16.9	8.2	2.06	0.0	0.2	NA
	(42)	(11,333)	(1.52–2.79)	(0)	(341)
Kidney	12.2	10.7	1.14	3.3	3.0	1.10
	(56)	(25,544)	(0.88–1.48)	(19)	(8,805)	(0.7–1.73)
Bladder and urinary tract	15.0	20.5	0.73	4.3	4.3	1.00
	(73)	(59,919)	(0.58–0.92)	(26)	(14,701)	(0.68–1.47)
Brain and CNS including endocrine tumors	10.1	12.2	0.83	5.2	5.2	1.00
	(36)	(23,280)	(0.6–1.15)	(23)	(11,939)	(0.66–1.51)

The rates shown are age-standardized to the world standard. The NORDCAN countries are Denmark, Faroe Islands, Finland, Greenland, Iceland, Norway, and Sweden. Abbreviations: IRR – Incidence rate ratio. 95%CI – 95% Confidence interval.

Data availability statement

The data in this report are freely available on https://nordcan.iarc.fr/en (2019 data).