In Cancer in Norway 2013 the Cancer Registry of Norway (CRN) provides incidence data on different cancers and the latest survival data.
Incidence/Cumulative risk
A total of 30 401 new cancer cases were reported in 2013: 54.2 per cent were among men and 45.8 per cent among women. The rates for 2013 show that cancer in prostate, lung, colon and bladder were the most common cancers in men, whereas breast, lung and colon cancer and malignant melanoma were the most common cancers in women. The relative impact of cancers, however, varies considerably by age. Among children (0-14 years of age) leukaemia and cancer in the central nervous system were the most common. These represent 52 per cent and 57 per cent of all cancer cases in boys and girls, respectively. In males aged 15–49 years, testicular cancer was the most common cancer, whereas prostate cancer was most common in middle aged and older men. In females, cancer in the central nervous system and Hodgkin lymphoma were the most common cancer types among 15–24 years old. Among 25–69 years old breast cancer was most common, and among the oldest women (70+) colon cancer was slightly more common than breast cancer.
Cancer trends should be interpreted by examining rates over the past several years. This is because there is some random variation in incidence rates from one year to another. Further, the numbers for 2013 might be slightly underreported due to delayed notification of cancer cases.
The incidence rate for all sites combined has increased by 3.2 per cent in men and 1.9 per cent in women when we compare the two most recent five year periods (from 2004–2008 to 2009–2013). For the most common cancers in men, the largest incidence increase in rates was observed for malignant melanoma, leukaemia, non-melanoma skin cancer and non-Hodgkin lymphoma. On the positive side, the rates for lung and bladder cancer showed a reduction.
In women, the strongest increase occurred in incidence rates of thyroid cancer, malignant melanoma, non-melanoma skin cancer, lung cancer and non-Hodgkin lymphoma. A reduction in rates was seen for ovary, corpus uteri, and rectal cancer. We suspect that the rather large reduction seen for cancers in the central nervous system at least to some extent is due to underreporting of cases.
The probability of developing cancer before the age of 75 is 36 per cent in men and 29 per cent in women.
Prevalence
At the end of 2013 more than 232 000 Norwegians were alive after having had at least one cancer diagnosis at an earlier point in time.
Mortality
There were 10 699 deaths from cancer in Norway in 2013. Cancer of the lung, colon, rectum, prostate and female breast account for 50 per cent of the mortality.
Survival
This year`s statistics confirm the trend we have seen over a number of years: Survival continues to increase.There is improved survival for almost all cancers, including breast, prostate, lung, colon and rectal cancer. This trend is partially due to improved treatment over time, but for breast and prostate cancer it is also due to screening. Increased attention to cancer in the population as well as among health care providers may also lead to higher numbers of diagnosed cancers.
From the period 2004-2008 to 2009–2013 the estimated five-year relative survival increased from:
- 88 to 89 per cent for breast cancer in women
- 85 to 91 per cent for prostate cancer
- 14 to 19 per cent for lung cancer in women
- 11 to 13 per cent for lung cancer in men
- 66 to 67 per cent for rectal cancer in women
- 62 to 67 per cent for rectal cancer in men
- 61 to 63 per cent for colon cancer in women
- 58 to 60 per cent for colon cancer in men
