Reda Wilson

Annual Report to the Nation on the Status of Cancer, 1975–2014, Featuring Survival

Abstract Background: The American Cancer Society (ACS), the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the National Cancer Institute (NCI), and the North American Association of Central Cancer Registries (NAACCR) collaborate to provide annual updates on cancer occurrence and trends in the United States. This Annual Report highlights survival rates. Methods: Data were from the CDC- and NCI-funded population-based cancer registry programs and compiled by NAACCR. Trends in age-standardized incidence and death rates for all cancers combined and for the leading cancer types by sex were estimated by joinpoint analysis and expressed as annual percent change. We used relative survival ratios and adjusted relative risk of death after a diagnosis of cancer (hazard ratios [HRs]) using Cox regression model to examine changes or differences in survival over time and by sociodemographic factors. Results: Overall cancer death rates from 2010 to 2014 decreased by 1.8% (95% confidence interval [CI] = –1.8 to –1.8) per year in men, by 1.4% (95% CI = –1.4 to –1.3) per year in women, and by 1.6% (95% CI = –2.0 to –1.3) per year in children. Death rates decreased for 11 of the 16 most common cancer types in men and for 13 of the 18 most common cancer types in women, including lung, colorectal, female breast, and prostate, whereas death rates increased for liver (men and women), pancreas (men), brain (men), and uterine cancers. In contrast, overall incidence rates from 2009 to 2013 decreased by 2.3% (95% CI = –3.1 to –1.4) per year in men but stabilized in women. For several but not all cancer types, survival statistically significantly improved over time for both early and late-stage diseases. Between 1975 and 1977, and 2006 and 2012, for example, five-year relative survival for distant-stage disease statistically significantly increased from 18.7% (95% CI = 16.9% to 20.6%) to 33.6% (95% CI = 32.2% to 35.0%) for female breast cancer but not for liver cancer (from 1.1%, 95% CI = 0.3% to 2.9%, to 2.3%, 95% CI = 1.6% to 3.2%). Survival varied by race/ethnicity and state. For example, the adjusted relative risk of death for all cancers combined was 33% (HR = 1.33, 95% CI = 1.32 to 1.34) higher in non-Hispanic blacks and 51% (HR = 1.51, 95% CI = 1.46 to 1.56) higher in non-Hispanic American Indian/Alaska Native compared with non-Hispanic whites. Conclusions: Cancer death rates continue to decrease in the United States. However, progress in reducing death rates and improving survival is limited for several cancer types, underscoring the need for intensified efforts to discover new strategies for prevention, early detection, and treatment and to apply proven preventive measures broadly and equitably.

Cancer in Appalachia, 2001–2003

Researchers have not been able to examine cancer incidence rates in Appalachia because high‐quality data have not been uniformly available across the region. This study is the first to report cancer incidence rates for a large proportion of the Appalachian population and describe the differences in incidence rates between Northern, Central, and Southern Appalachia.

Trends in Endometrial Cancer Incidence Rates in the United States, 1999–2006

BACKGROUND Risk factors for endometrial cancer, such as hormone replacement therapy (HRT) and obesity, have changed significantly in the last decade. We investigated trends in endometrial cancer histologic subtypes on a national level during 1999-2006. METHODS Data covering 88% of the U.S. population were from central cancer registries in the National Program of Cancer Registries (NPCR) and Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) programs that met high-quality United States Cancer Statistics (USCS) criteria. Our analyses included females with microscopically confirmed invasive uterine cancer (n=257,039). Age-adjusted incidence rates and trends for all invasive uterine cancers and by endometrial cancer histologic subtypes (type I and II) were assessed. RESULTS There were 145,922 cases of type I endometrial cancers and 15,591 cases of type II for 1999-2006. We found that type I endometrial cancers have been increasing, whereas type II endometrial cancers and all invasive uterine cancers have been relatively stable throughout the 1999-2006 period. CONCLUSIONS During the past decade, the overall burden of uterine cancer has been stable, although there have been changes in underlying histologies (e.g., endometrial). Changes in trends for underlying histologies may be masked when reviewing trends irrespective of histologic subtypes. Our findings suggest the need to examine trends of uterine cancer by histologic subtype in order to better understand the burden of endometrial cancer in relation to these subtypes to help women at increased risk for developing more aggressive types of endometrial cancer (e.g., type II).

Population-based study of the geographic variation in colon cancer incidence in alabama : Relationship to socioeconomic status indicators and physician density

Objectives: The objective of this population-based study was to examine the relationship between race, socioeconomic characteristics (socioeconomic status, SES), physician density, and colon cancer incidence in Alabama. Methods: Data for 5,788 colon cancer cases from 1996 to 1999 provided by the Alabama Statewide Cancer Registry are linked to county-level measures of SES, including median household income, percentage of high school graduates, percentage of families below poverty level, and occupational and health care factors. Poisson regression is used to model the predictors adjusting for age, gender, and race. Results: Blacks had higher incidences of colon cancer compared with whites and presented with later stages (20.4% versus 14.8% for distant disease (P = 0.0089). After controlling for race, gender, and age at diagnosis, significant associations were detected between colon cancer incidence and higher education (RR = 1.10; 95% CI, 1.03–1.17), and increased number of physicians per 1,000 (RR = 1.14; 95% CI, 1.06–1.22). The county percentage of families below poverty is associated inversely with localized disease and positively with distant stage. Conclusions: Colon cancer incidence varies geographically across Alabama and is positively related to aggregate SES factors, including education and physician density. A higher incidence of distant disease is related to black race and increased poverty. Health disparities in colon cancer across Alabama warrant further investigation.

Evaluation of North American Association of Central Cancer Registries’ (NAACCR) Data for Use in Population-Based Cancer Survival Studies

Follow-up procedures vary among cancer registries in North America. US registries are funded by the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) Program and/or the National Program of Cancer Registries (NPCR). SEER registries ascertain vital status and date of last contact to meet follow-up standards. NPCR and Canadian registries primarily conduct linkages with local and national death records to ascertain deaths. Data on patients diagnosed between 2002 through 2006 and followed through 2007 were obtained from 51 registries. Registries that met follow-up standards or, at a minimum, conducted linkages with local and national death records had comparable age-standardized five-year survival estimates (all sites and races combined): 63.9% SEER, 63.1% NPCR, and 62.6% Canada. Estimates varied by cancer site. Survival data from registries using different follow-up procedures are comparable if death ascertainment is complete and all nondeceased patients are presumed to be alive to the end of the study period.

Racial and ethnic variations in the incidence of cancers of the uterine corpus, United States, 2001-2003.

OBJECTIVE We examined racial/ethnic variations in uterine corpus cancer incidence. METHODS Data are from state cancer registries meeting quality criteria in the National Program of Cancer Registries (NPCR) and Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) programs, 2001-2003. We included females with microscopically confirmed invasive uterine corpus cancer (n = 97,098). We calculated age-adjusted incidence rates per 100,000, stratified by race and ethnicity. RESULTS Cancers were most common among women who were 50-64 years old, white and non-Hispanic. Epithelial cancer rates were lower for Asian/Pacific Islanders (API) than whites (12.8 vs. 21.7, p < 0.0001), including serous adenocarcinoma (0.5 vs. 0.9, p < 0.0001). Epithelial cancer rates were also lower for American Indian/Alaska Natives (AIAN) vs. whites (11.5 vs. 21.7, p < 0.0001) and Hispanics vs. non-Hispanics (16.0 vs. 21.3, p < 0.0001). Among all race groups, blacks had the highest rates of mesenchymal (0.9) and mixed cancers (2.0) and of serous adenocarcinoma (2.0), clear cell adenocarcinoma (0.5), and carcinosarcoma (1.9). Blacks also had the lowest rates of low-grade and localized stage epithelial cancer and the highest rates of high-grade and distant stage disease. CONCLUSIONS Uterine corpus cancer rates are generally lower for API and AIAN than for whites or blacks and for Hispanics vs. non-Hispanics. Further research is needed to understand reasons for the differences in incidence.

Cancer Incidence in Appalachia, 2004–2011

Background: Limited literature is available about cancer in the Appalachian Region. This is the only known analysis of all cancers for Appalachia and non-Appalachia covering 100% of the US population. Appalachian cancer incidence and trends were evaluated by state, sex, and race and compared with those found in non-Appalachian regions. Methods: US counties were identified as Appalachian or non-Appalachian. Age-adjusted cancer incidence rates, standard errors, and confidence intervals were calculated using the most recent data from the United States Cancer Statistics for 2004 to 2011. Results: Generally, Appalachia carries a higher cancer burden compared with non-Appalachia, particularly for tobacco-related cancers. For all cancer sites combined, Appalachia has higher rates regardless of sex, race, or region. The Appalachia and non-Appalachia cancer incidence gap has narrowed, with the exception of oral cavity and pharynx, larynx, lung and bronchus, and thyroid cancers. Conclusions: Higher cancer incidence continues in Appalachia and appears at least in part to reflect high tobacco use and potential differences in socioeconomic status, other risk factors, patient health care utilization, or provider practices. It is important to continue to evaluate this population to monitor results from screening and early detection programs, understand behavioral risk factors related to cancer incidence, increase efforts to reduce tobacco use and increase cancer screening, and identify other areas where effective interventions may mediate disparities. Impact: Surveillance and evaluation of special populations provide means to monitor screening and early detection programs, understand behavioral risk factors, and increase efforts to reduce tobacco use to mediate disparities. Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev; 25(2); 250–8. ©2016 AACR.

Kidney cancer incidence and mortality among American Indians and Alaska Natives in the United States, 1990-2009

OBJECTIVES We describe rates and trends in kidney cancer incidence and mortality and identify disparities between American Indian/Alaska Native (AI/AN) and White populations. METHODS To improve identification of AI/AN race, incidence and mortality data were linked with Indian Health Service (IHS) patient records. Analysis focused on residents of IHS Contract Health Service Delivery Area counties; Hispanics were excluded. We calculated age-adjusted kidney cancer incidence (2001-2009) and death rates (1990-2009) by sex, age, and IHS region. RESULTS AI/AN persons have a 1.6 times higher kidney cancer incidence and a 1.9 times higher kidney cancer death rate than Whites. Despite a significant decline in kidney cancer death rates for Whites (annual percentage change [APC] = -0.3; 95% confidence interval [CI] = -0.5, 0.0), death rates for AI/AN persons remained stable (APC = 0.4; 95% CI = -0.7, 1.5). Kidney cancer incidence rates rose more rapidly for AI/AN persons (APC = 3.5; 95% CI = 1.2, 5.8) than for Whites (APC = 2.1; 95% CI = 1.4, 2.8). CONCLUSIONS AI/AN individuals have greater risk of developing and dying of kidney cancers. Incidence rates have increased faster in AI/AN populations than in Whites. Death rates have decreased slightly in Whites but remained stable in AI/AN populations. Racial disparities in kidney cancer are widening.

Five-year relative survival for human papillomavirus-associated cancer sites

Human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccines can potentially prevent greater than 90% of cervical and anal cancers as well as a substantial proportion of vulvar, vaginal, penile, and oropharyngeal cancers caused by certain HPV types. Because more than 38,000 HPV‐associated cancers are diagnosed annually in the United States, current studies are needed to understand how relative survival varies for each of these cancers by certain demographic characteristics, such as race and age.

Evaluation of the Vulvar Cancer Histology Code Reported by Central Cancer Registries: Importance in Epidemiology.

CONTEXT -Knowing the subtype of vulvar cancer histology is important for estimating human papillomavirus-related cancer etiology. Surveillance of human papillomavirus-related vulvar cancers informs public health decisions related to vaccination against human papillomavirus. OBJECTIVE -To assess the accuracy of registry classifications of vulvar cancer and determine the histologic classification of cases reported as not otherwise specified. DESIGN -Pathology specimens were collected from Florida, Iowa, and Hawaii cancer registries. Registry diagnosis was compared with the pathology report from the medical record and a single expert study histology review of a representative histologic section from each case. RESULTS -The study included 60 invasive vulvar squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) cases, 6 Paget disease cases, 2 basal cell carcinoma cases, and 53 in situ cases. Comparing subtypes of invasive vulvar SCC, the registry agreed with the pathology report classification in 49 of 60 cases (81.7%). Study histology review identified the same SCC subtype as the registry in 9 of 60 cases (15.0%) and the same SCC subtype as the pathology report in 11 of 60 cases (18.3%). Whereas the registry and pathology reports classified 37 and 34 cases, respectively, as being SCC not otherwise specified, the study histology review identified a more specific subtype in all cases. CONCLUSIONS -Subtypes of vulvar cancer were frequently recorded as not otherwise specified in the cancer registry primarily because the pathology report often did not specify the histologic subtype. Vulvar cancer registry data are useful for tracking broad diagnostic categories, but are less reliable for vulvar cancer subtypes.