Changes in cancer incidence and mortality in England and Wales and a comparison of cancer deaths in the major developed countries by age and sex 1979-2002 in context of GDP expenditure on health

摘要

Background: The successful treatment of cancer is a major health and political issue for England and Wales and the major developed countries (MDCs). All malignancy deaths by ag e and sex are analysed to determine how successful the MDCs were in reducing cancer mortality between the end points of 1979¨C81 and 2000¨C2, and whether there was any association between each nations 'gross domestic product expenditure on health' (GDPEH) and the reduction in their cancer deaths. Method: Incidence of cancer in England and Wales was examined for 1979¨C80 to 2003¨C4 to highlight the extent of the problem. The cancer mortality rates for England and Wales were compared with each MDC by age and sex, using 'WHO all malignancies mortality rates' for the periods of 1979¨C81 and 2000¨C2, and tests of significance were made. The GDPEH for each MDC was examined for 1980¨C2002, and Spearman rank-order correlations calculated to explore any association between declining cancer deaths and the GDPEH of each MDC