Mariken Stegmann

Epidemiology of frequent types of cancer and cancer symptoms Epidemiology of common cancer types Breast cancer Breast cancer is the most common cancer type in Europe, responsible for 13.4% of all cancer cases. 1 In the Netherlands, one out of seven women will have breast cancer during her life. 2 The mean age at diagnosis is 61 years; 80% is 50 years or older at diagnosis and 27% is 70 years or older. 2,3 The most common symptoms of breast cancer are a lump in the breast and / or changes of the skin of the breast. In the Netherlands there is a breast screening program for women aged 50 ‐ 74. In this age ‐ group, 53% of breast cancer cases are diagnosed by the screening program. 2 About 5% of all breast cancer cases are diagnosed with stage IV. 4 Most patients with breast cancer are surgically treated (90%). Nowadays in most cases (57% of all surgeries) this is a breast conserving therapy. 2 Most patients also receive radiotherapy (65%) and/or hormonal therapy (55%). 2 Chemotherapy is being used in 30% of patients, half of them in a neo ‐ adjuvant setting, i.e. before surgery. 2 Targeted therapy for breast cancer was introduced in the Netherlands in 2005, and in 2017 about 10% of all women with breast cancer received this form of therapy, half of them in a neo ‐ adjuvant setting. 2 Despite being the most frequent diagnosed form of cancer, breast cancer is third cause (7.1%) of cancer caused mortality in Europe. 1 In the Netherlands, the five years survival rate after diagnosis is 87%. 2 For women the life time risk of dying because of breast cancer is 1 out of 27. 2 Colorectal cancer Colorectal cancer is the second most common type of cancer in Europe, responsible for 12.8% of all cancer cases. 1 This cancer type is common both in men (13.2% of cancer cases in men) and in women (12.3% of cancer cases in women). 1 Cancer of the colon is twice as common as cancer of the rectum. 4 About 80% of all patients with colorectal cancer is 60 years or older. 4 The most common symptoms of colorectal cancer are change in bowel habits, rectal bleeding and abdominal discomfort. In the Netherlands there is a colorectal cancer screening program for men and women in the age of 55 ‐ 75 since 2014. Of the patients aged 60 ‐ 75, 38.5% of the colorectal cancer cases were detected by screening. 5 For all cases of colorectal cancer, about one in five are diagnosed with stage IV. 4 Most patients with colorectal cancer are surgically treated. 4 Patients with rectal cancer are most often also treated by neo ‐ adjuvant radiotherapy and patients with stage III and IV disease often receive adjuvant chemotherapy. 4 Colorectal cancer is the second leading cause of cancer death in men and the third in women in Europe. 1 In the Netherlands, the five years survival rate after diagnosis is 65%. 6 Survival rates are much better for disease detected at an early stage (stage I: 95%) compared to a later stage (stage IV: 11%). 6 Lung cancer Lung cancer is the third most common cancer type in Europe, responsible for 12.0% of all cancer cases. 1 This cancer type is common both in men (15.1% of cancer cases in men) and in women (8.5% of cancer cases in women). 1 The most common type of lung cancer is non ‐ small cell lung cancer (85%). 4 About 90% of all lung cancer cases is caused by smoking. 7 The mean age at diagnosis is 70 years; 81% is 65 years or older at diagnosis and 52% is 75 years or older. 8 The most common symptoms of lung cancer is persistent cough. In the A 123 Epidemiology of frequent types of cancer and cancer symptoms