Epidemiology of cervical cancer: international comparison

L. Dušek, J. Mužík, D. Malúšková, L. Šnajdrová

Institute of Biostatistics and Analyses, Faculty of Medicine, Masaryk University, Brno (Czech Republic)

Cervical cancer is among the most commonly diagnosed cancers in women worldwide. In 2018, according to the GLOBOCAN estimates [1], there were 569,847 new cases of cervical cancer worldwide (4th most common cancer in women worldwide, accounting for 6.9% of all cancers in women apart from non-melanoma skin cancers), and 61,072 new cases of cervical cancer in Europe (8th most common cancer in women in Europe, accounting for 3.3% of all cancers in women apart from non-melanoma skin cancers). In 2018, there were an estimated 311,365 deaths from cervical cancer worldwide (7.5% of the total number of cancer deaths in women, 4th most common cause of cancer-related deaths in women), and 25,829 deaths from cervical cancer in Europe (3.0% of the total number of cancer deaths in women, 10th most common cause of cancer-related deaths in women). The 5-year prevalence of cervical cancer (i.e., the number of cervical cancer patients who were still alive five years after diagnosis) in 2018 was estimated at 1,474,265 worldwide (39.0 cervical cancer survivors per 100,000 women) and 190,814 in Europe (49.7 cervical cancer survivors per 100,000 women). In 2018, the cumulative risk of cervical cancer in women aged under 75 was 1.36% worldwide and 1.09% in Europe [1].

Table 1: Epidemiology of cervical cancer worldwide. Source: GLOBOCAN 2018 [1].

Table 2: Epidemiology of cervical cancer in Europe. Source: GLOBOCAN 2018 [1].

Parameter	Women
Incidence rates
number of new cases	569,847
number of new cases per 100,000 women	15.1
ASR(W)	13.1
proportion of all newly diagnosed cancers (apart from skin cancers)	6.9%
rank among all newly diagnosed cancers (apart from skin cancers)	4th
Mortality rates
number of deaths	311,365
number of deaths per 100,000 women	8.2
ASR(W)	6.9
proportion of all cancer-related deaths (apart from skin cancers)	7.5%
rank among all cancer-related deaths (apart from skin cancers)	4th
Prevalence rates (patients still alive five years after diagnosis)
absolute number of survivors	1,474,265
rate per 100,000 women	39.0
Cumulative risk of developing cervical cancer
from birth until the age of 75	1.36%

Parameter	Women
Incidence rates
number of new cases	61,072
number of new cases per 100,000 women	15.9
ASR(W)	11.2
proportion of all newly diagnosed cancers (apart from skin cancers)	3.3%
rank among all newly diagnosed cancers (apart from skin cancers)	8th
Mortality rates
number of deaths	25,829
number of deaths per 100,000 women	6.7
ASR(W)	3.8
proportion of all cancer-related deaths (apart from skin cancers)	3.0%
rank among all cancer-related deaths (apart from skin cancers)	10th
Prevalence rates (patients still alive five years after diagnosis)
absolute number of survivors	190,814
rate per 100,000 women	49.7
Cumulative risk of developing cervical cancer
from birth until the age of 75	1.09%

Tables 1 and 2 provide a basic overview of epidemiological characteristics of cervical cancer worldwide and in Europe.

Czech cervical cancer incidence rates rank 127th–128th worldwide and 19th in Europe, while Czech cervical cancer mortality rates rank 129th–131st worldwide and 15th in Europe.

Figure 1: International comparison of cervical cancer (C53) incidence rates. ASR(W) – age-standardised world incidence rate per 100,000 women. Source: GLOBOCAN 2018 [1].	Figure 2: International comparison of cervical cancer (C53) mortality rates. ASR(W) – age-standardised world mortality rate per 100,000 women. Source: GLOBOCAN 2018 [1].

International epidemiological statistics make it possible to estimate the ratio of mortality to incidence rates (M/I), which can be considered as an indirect indicator of survival of cervical cancer patients in a given country (Figure 3). According to the most recent statistics, the Czech Republic with its M/I ratio at 0.4 ranks 4th in Europe. Recent data from the Czech National Cancer Registry [2], i.e. the incidence of 9.98 and the mortality of 3.35 (data from 2016 recalculated as ASR-W), give the ratio of 0.34.

Internationally assessed prevalence rates (i.e., number of patients still alive five years after diagnosis) are shown in Figure 4. As a logical consequence, the highest prevalence rates have been reported for countries with the lowest values of M/I ratio. As for cervical cancer prevalence rates, the Czech Republic is close to the European average.

Figure 3: International comparison of the ratio of mortality to incidence rates (M/I), cervical cancer (C53). Evaluated according to ASR(W) – age-standardised world incidence rate per 100,000 women. Source: GLOBOCAN 2018 [1].	Figure 4: International comparison of cervical cancer (C53) prevalence rates (patients still alive five years after diagnosis. Source: GLOBOCAN 2018 [1].

Let us conclude this overview of international statistics with a summary of cumulative risk of cervical cancer in women from birth until the age of 75 (Figure 5). Cumulative risk for the Czech Republic is 1.31, so the Czech female population occupies the 20th position in Europe and the 130th position globally.

Figure 5: International comparison of cumulative risk of cervical cancer (C53) from birth to 75 years of age. Source: GLOBOCAN 2018 [1].

References

Ferlay J, Ervik M, Lam F, Colombet M, Mery L, Piñeros M, Znaor A, Soerjomataram I, Bray F (2018). Global Cancer Observatory: Cancer Today. Lyon, France: International Agency for Research on Cancer [cit. 2018-10-04]. Available from WWW: https://gco.iarc.fr/today.
Dušek L., Mužík J., Kubásek M., Koptíková J., Žaloudík J., Vyzula R. Epidemiology of malignant tumours in the Czech Republic [online]. Masaryk University, Brno (Czech Republic) [2005], [cit. 2018-10-19]. Available from WWW: http://www.svod.cz. Version 7.0 [2007], ISSN 1802 – 8861.

Last updated on 29 October 2018

Májek, O., Dvořák, V., Dušek, L., Mužík, J., Šnajdrová, L., Gregor, J. Cervix.cz – Cervical Cancer Screening Programme in the Czech Republic [online]. Masaryk university, Brno, 2021. [cit. 2021-01-24]. Available at WWW: http://www.cervix.cz. ISSN 1804-087X. Version 1.6f.