Epidemiological Profile Of Cancer Patients Using A Hospital-Based Cancer Registry, São Paulo, Brazil, 2008-2012

Edia Filomena LOPES, Instituto do Câncer do Estado de São Paulo, Brazil
MENDOZA LOPEZ R. 2 , CAMPOLINA A. 2 , HOFF P. 3 , CHAMMAS R. 3

1 Registro Hospital de Câncer, Instituto do Câncer do Estado de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
2 Centro de Investigação Translacional em Oncologia, Instituto do Câncer do Estado de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
3 Departamento de Radiologia e Oncologia, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil

Purpose: To characterize the sociodemographic and clinical profile of cancer patients for the five main sites of malignant tumors, using a hospital-based cancer registry (HBCR).
Methods: The data set available at the HBCR of a regional cancer center in Brazil, containing information on patients registered during the period of January 2008 to December 2012, was applied. All cases above 18 years were included. Frequencies and percentages were calculated for each of the variables under consideration. All analyzes were performed using statistical package SPSS for Windows v.18.
Results: A total of 23,417 patients were reported. The mean age at diagnosis among males was 62.0 compared with 59.0 years for females. The most frequent malignancies in men were cancers of the prostate (33.0%), colon and rectum (9.3%), mouth and oropharynx (6.6%), and stomach (6.3%). For women, they were found to be cancers of the breast (24.7%), colon and rectum (12.8%), lung (8.5%), thyroid (6.7%) and stomach (5.4%). Approximately 72% of men with prostate tumors arrived at the institution in stage I or II. Some 48% of women, diagnosed with breast tumors, were classified in clinical stage I and II. It was observed a decrease in the number of prostate and breast cancer over the years. For other types of tumors, the frequencies were relatively stable, except for lung tumors in women, who had a rising trend.
Conclusions: HCBR can be considered as an effective way forward in getting a preview of cancer burden in the region. Proper surveillance and preventive programs need to be in place and healthcare policy should be adjusted to take into account the more pressing cancers in society.
Funding source: No funding.