Differences in cancer incidence between men and women in the province of Québec, Canada, 1984–1993 (original) (raw)
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Annals of The New York Academy of Sciences, 1990
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Journal of Environmental and Public Health, 2015
Background. The Argentia region of Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada, was home to a US naval base during a 40-year period between the 1940s and the 1990s. Activities on the base resulted in contamination of the soil and groundwater in the region with chemicals such as heavy metals and dioxins, and residents have expressed concern about higher rates of cancer in their community. This study investigated the rate of cancer diagnosis that is disproportionately high in the Argentia region.Methods. Cases of cancer diagnosed between 1985 and 2011 were obtained for the Argentia region, two comparison communities, and the province of Newfoundland and Labrador. Crude and age-standardized incidence rates of cancer diagnosis were calculated and compared. The crude incidence rate was adjusted for differences in age demographics using census data, and age-standardized incidence rates were compared.Results. Although the Argentia region had a higher crude rate of cancer diagnosis, the age-standardi...
Social sexual inequality and sex difference in cancer incidence
Environmental Research, 2007
Socioeconomic factors play many roles in influencing health including overall health status, lifestyle and occupational exposures, and access to preventive, diagnostic and treatment services. This paper reviews evidence on the geographical distribution of the sex differences in cancer incidence and life expectancy. The analyses reported are at the regional (Italy), continental (Europe), and world-wide scales. In agreement with other contributions on the social epidemiology of cancer, these results indicate that there is a close link between the health of the populations, and socioeconomic and cultural factors, and support the notion that environment contributes strongly to total cancer incidence. Thus, the emphasis for reducing cancer incidence needs to focus more on reducing environmental contributions. In order to improve the health status of the populations, not only applications of the present etiologic knowledge are necessary (for example, it is estimated that around up to 50% of cancers are nowadays technically preventable), but also further research on environmental topics should be stimulated. Within this perspective the indicators of health differences between genders-which are demonstrated to be very sensitive to socioeconomic and cultural factors-can play a very useful role for monitoring environmental factors, and for health planning by agencies and governments. r
Environmental Health Perspectives
The evidence for the predominantly environ-mental origin of cancer is extremely large and varied. Classical studies have shown that can-cer incidences vary to a large extent from one geographic area to another, and that the peo-ple who migrate to a country with different habits acquire—in one or two generations— the pattern of tumors that characterizes their new place (1). Similar conclusions were obtained by studies that focused on cancer incidence in twins. For example, a recent paper has demonstrated that for most can-cers, identical twins (i.e., those with identical genes) have similar cancers no more than do fraternal twins (i.e., those with only 50% genetic similarity) (2); similar evidence was provided by a previous study (3). Other investigators have studied whether the genetic differences among European popula-tions reflected similar differences in the inci-dence of the various types of tumors: Very little correlation existed between genetic set-tings and cancer incidence (...
Gender Differences in Cancer Incidence
Gender – together with age and species – is the main feature that must be considered when studying any biological aspect in mammalians and consequently a possible candidate to play a major role in cancer incidence profile. Depending on the level at which the investigation is performed, this factor acquires different determinations and exerts its influence through different routes. Whereas epidemiology has a central role in the study of cancer, since it provides the definitive evidence about a causal relationship between human cancers and environmental determinants (such as definite chemicals or exposures), the experimental investigations – when feasible – are an invaluable tool in all those cases in which the human exposure cannot be studied directly.
Disparities in cancer incidence by area-level socioeconomic status in the French West Indies
Cancer Causes & Control
Social inequalities in cancer incidence and mortality have been reported in France, but no data are available for the French overseas territories. Our objective was to explore the association between cancer incidence and the socioeconomic level of the residence area in the French West Indies. Methods Cancer incidence data were obtained from the cancer registries of Guadeloupe and Martinique (2009-2010). To assess socioeconomic status, we developed a specific index of social deprivation from census data at a small-area level. We used Bayesian methods to evaluate the association between cancer incidence and the deprivation index, for all cancers combined and for the major cancer sites. Results There was no clear association between area-based deprivation and the incidence of all cancers combined. In men, higher area deprivation was associated with a higher incidence of prostate cancer (relative risk (RR) 1.25, 95% credible interval (CI) 1.04-1.49; RR 1.08, CI 0.91-1.29 in the categories of intermediate and high deprivation respectively, compared to low deprivation), but was not associated with respiratory cancer. Women living in the most deprived areas had a higher incidence of stomach (RR 1.77, CI 1.12-2.89), breast (RR 1.15, CI 0.90-1.45) and cervix (RR 1.13, CI 0.63-2.01) cancers and a lower incidence of respiratory cancer (RR 0.65, CI 0.38-1.11). Conclusion These first results in the French West Indies suggest specific patterns for some cancer sites that warrant to be further investigated.
Socioeconomic environment and cancer incidence: a French population-based study in Normandy
BMC Cancer, 2014
Background: The struggle against social inequalities is a priority for many international organizations. The objective of the study was to quantify the cancer burden related to social deprivation by identifying the cancer sites linked to socioeconomic status and measuring the proportion of cases associated with social deprivation. Methods: The study population comprised 68 967 cases of cancer diagnosed between 1997 and 2009 in Normandy and collected by the local registries. The social environment was assessed at an aggregated level using the European Deprivation Index (EDI). The association between incidence and socioeconomic status was assessed by a Bayesian Poisson model and the excess of cases was calculated with the Population Attributable Fraction (PAF). Results: For lung, lips-mouth-pharynx and unknown primary sites, a higher incidence in deprived was observed for both sexes. The same trend was observed in males for bladder, liver, esophagus, larynx, central nervous system and gall-bladder and in females for cervix uteri. The largest part of the incidence associated with deprivation was found for cancer of gall-bladder (30.1%), lips-mouth-pharynx (26.0%), larynx (23.2%) and esophagus (19.6%) in males and for unknown primary sites (18.0%) and lips-mouth-pharynx (12.7%) in females. For prostate cancer and melanoma in males, the sites where incidence increased with affluence, the part associated with affluence was respectively 9.6% and 14.0%. Conclusions: Beyond identifying cancer sites the most associated with social deprivation, this kind of study points to health care policies that could be undertaken to reduce social inequalities.
Rates of Cancer Incidence Across Terciles of the Foreign-born Population in Canada From 2001–2006
Canadian Journal of Public Health, 2013
nderstanding the potential impact of immigration trends on Canada's public health program needs is increasingly important. In 2006, an estimated 6.2 million immigrants comprised 19.8% of Canada's population, 1 and it is estimated that by 2031, 28% of Canada's population will be foreign-born. 2 Current evidence on cancer screening indicates lower rates of uptake among immigrant populations, potentially leading to delayed detection and increase in the risk of cancer-related deaths. 3-7 These risks may translate into increases in cancer 8 and cancer-related health service utilization. 9 Therefore, anticipating the relative cancer risks for this growing subpopulation is important. However, there are data challenges hindering our ability to fully understand the pattern of cancer risk among Canada's immigrant population. Evidence to date suggests that, overall in Canada, immigrants and refugees experience lower risk for cancer generally 10,11 and lower risk of death caused by cancer. 12,13 However, these reduced risks may not extend to all cancers. Cohort-based research showed that, nationally, immigrants experience a higher risk for liver, nasopharynx and cervical cancers. 10 Furthermore, both cancer incidence and mortality risk can differ according to country of birth 10-19 and time since immigration so that, depending upon the cancer site and relative risk within country of origin, cancer risk may increase to approach risk similar to that of the host country, 19-23 or alternatively, decrease for some cancer sites in comparison to that within the host country. 22,23 As the composition of Canada continues to change, 1 challenges to providing comparable information regarding patterns of cancer risk among immigrants at both the national and subnational level persist. Currently, information needed to track cancer incidence by foreign-born status is not available at the national level. The Canadian Cancer Registry does not consistently report place of birth for all provinces and territories. Studies have used record linkage to conduct cancer surveillance. 10,11 However, data are not routinely available to conduct national and comparable regional cancer surveillance by a person's foreign-born status in order to track incidence in this subpopulation. The objective of this study is to apply a standardized area-based measure to examine whether or not estimated cancer incidence rates among individuals living in given areas vary systematically according to the concentration of foreign-born individuals living in the same given areas. The presented results are relevant since this standardized measure extends previous work, and enables reporting of comparable subnational cancer incidence rates according to concentration of foreign-born population, in addition to the reported national rates. Furthermore, as the population com
International Journal of General Medicine, 2011
Background: Canadian First Nations, the largest of the Aboriginal groups in Canada, have had lower cancer incidence and mortality rates than non-Aboriginal populations in the past. This pattern is changing with increased life expectancy, a growing population, and a poor social environment that influences risk behaviors, metabolic conditions, and disparities in screening uptake. These factors alone do not fully explain differences in cancer risk between populations, as genetic susceptibility and environmental factors also have significant influence. However, genetics and environment are difficult to modify. This study compared modifiable behavioral risk factors and metabolic-associated conditions for men and women, and cancer screening practices of women, between First Nations living on-reserve and a non-First Nations Manitoba rural population (Canada). Methods: The study used data from the Canadian Community Health Survey and the Manitoba First Nations Regional Longitudinal Health Survey to examine smoking, binge drinking, metabolic conditions, physical activity, fruit/vegetable consumption, and cancer-screening practices. Results: First Nations on-reserve had significantly higher rates of smoking (P , 0.001), binge drinking (P , 0.001), obesity (P , 0.001) and diabetes (P , 0.001), and less leisure-time physical activity (P = 0.029), and consumption of fruits and vegetables (P , 0.001). Sex differences were also apparent. In addition, First Nations women reported significantly less uptake of mammography screening (P , 0.001) but similar rates for cervical cancer screening. Conclusions: Based on the findings of this retrospective study, the future cancer burden is expected to be high in the First Nations on-reserve population. Interventions, utilizing existing and new health and social authorities, and long-term institutional partnerships, are required to combat cancer risk disparities, while governments address economic disparities.