Topographical analyses of lung cancer incidence and mortality in Vojvodina

Background: Lung cancer is the leading cancer among men in cancer incidence as well as in cancer death. More recently, unpublished data showed that in women, lung cancer is in the second place in both incidence and mortality in Vojvodina. Methods: Data used for analyses were provided by Cancer Registry of Vojvodina, Oncology Institute of Vojvodina in Sremska Kamenica and from the Bureau of statistics. Descriptive epidemiological method was used. Data were analyzed topographically for two periods of observation, first from 1985 until 1995 and then from 1996 until 2005, separately for male and female population. Results: During the period from 1996-2005, age standardized incidence rate in male patients higher than 140/100,000 was registered in 14 municipalities with the highest incidence of 188.8/100,000. In 40 out of 44 municipalities of Vojvodina, an increase in lung cancer incidence in male patients was registered. Mortality higher than 140/100,000 was registered in 4 municipalities; the highest mortality was 209.9/100,000. In 41 out of 44 municipalities of Vojvodina, an increase in lung cancer mortality in male patients was registered. During the period from 1996-2005, age standardized incidence rate in female patients higher than 20/100,000 was registered in 29 municipalities with the highest incidence of 37.0/100,000. In 39 out of 44 municipalities of Vojvodina, an increase in lung cancer incidence in female patients was registered. Mortality in female patients higher than 20/100,000 was registered in 19 municipalities with the highest mortality of 27.2/100,000. In 33 out of 44 municipalities of Vojvodina, an increase in lung cancer mortality in female patients was registered. Conclusion: Vojvodina is a region with high lung cancer incidence and mortality rates. Incidence and mortality rates in male patients are higher according to topographical distribution than respective incidence in regions and municipalities in countries of the EU, while incidence and mortality rates in female patients are at the similar level as in the EU. In relation to results of the previous studies, we registered an important increase in lung cancer incidence and mortality rates in both male and female patients in the majority of municipalities of Vojvodina