Onkológia 6/2021

Colorectal cancer epidemiology in Slovakia

Introduction: Colorectal carcinoma is one of the most common malignancies worldwide, in addition to the published trend of increasing incidence in developing countries, including Slovakia. Objective: Due to the absence of current data on the epidemiology of colorectal carcinoma in the Slovak Republic (SR), all available hard data were analyzed so it was possible to define and specify changes in indicators over time and at the same time realistically predict prevalence, age characteristics of cohorts and clinical stages. Material and methods: Underlying hard-data for analyzes were taken from data published by National Center of Health Information and Statistical Office of the Slovak Republic, analysis of time trends of incidence, mortality and clinical stages was performed using joinpoint regression analysis, prevalence prediction was performed using a model based on Weibull division. Results: Based on the results of analyzes, it was found that the incidence of colorectal carcinoma in men in SR since 2005 shows a significant (p < 0.05) declining trend, even though by a minimum year-on-year value (-0.27% year-on-year.) However, the incidence in women has a continuously increasing trend until the last published year, although with a sign of slowdown (p = NS) of its increase since 1998 (0.73% year-on-year.) Mortality decreases in both sexes, more in women. Clinical stages do not show significant changes in the transfer of patient numbers to lower, more prognostically favorable stages of the disease at the time of diagnosis, nor do cohorts move to lower age groups as it is in countries with well-established screening. Conclusion: A positive change in the time trend of the incidence, especially for men, is not sufficient for the overall more favorable placement of Slovakia in the ranking of countries with the highest incidence of this disease worldwide.

Keywords: colorectal carcinoma, incidence, mortality, prevalence, clinical stages