Cancer Statistics in Korea: Incidence, Mortality, Survival, and Prevalence in 2016

Abstract

Purpose This study presents the 2016 nationwide cancer statistics in Korea, including cancer incidence, survival, prevalence, and mortality. Materials and Methods Cancer incidence data from 1999 to 2016 were obtained from the Korea National Cancer Incidence Database and followed until December 31, 2017. Mortality data from 1983 to 2016 were obtained from Statistics Korea. The prevalence was defined as the number of cancer patients alive on January 1, 2017 among all cancer patients diagnosed since 1999. Crude and age-standardized rates (ASRs) for incidence, mortality, and prevalence and 5-year relative survivals were also calculated. Results Overall, 229,180 and 78,194 Koreans were newly diagnosed and died from cancer in 2016, respectively. The ASRs for cancer incidence and mortality in 2016 were 269.0 and 79.8 per 100,000 individuals, respectively. The all-cancer incidence rate increased significantly by 3.6% annually from 1999 to 2011 and started to decrease after 2011 (2011-2016; annual percent change, –3.1%). However, overall cancer mortality has decreased 2.7% annually since 2002. The 5-year relative survival rate for patients diagnosed with cancer between 2012 and 2016 was 70.6%, an improvement from the 41.2% for patients diagnosed between 1993 and 1995. Conclusion The cancer prevalence in Korea has increased very fast as survival has improved remarkably. The high prevalence of cancer emphasizes the need for comprehensive cancer control efforts in Korea.

Causes of death among cancer patients in the era of cancer survivorship in Korea: Attention to the suicide and cardiovascular mortality

“…The KCCR is a nationally representative, population‐based cancer registry covering >99% of patients diagnosed with cancer in South Korea and contains nationwide cancer incidence and survival data from 1999 onward. Furthermore, the registry is linked to cause of death statistics provided by Statistics Korea . Statistics Korea collects vital status and cause of death data from death certificates and classifies the causes of death according to the International Statistical Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems, 10th revision (ICD‐10), as recommended by the World Health Organization (WHO) .…”

“…As patients are living longer, mortality from noncancer causes and secondary cancer‐related deaths are increasing, and in‐depth research on this matter has become more urgent. In South Korea, cancer survival has improved rapidly in recent decades, as many patients with cancer survive more than 5 years after diagnosis (5‐year relative survival rate: 70.6% in 2016), and, to date, the estimated number of cancer survivors exceeds 1.7 million . Issues related to acute cancer care are transitioning to long‐term cancer survivorship.…”

Comparative effectiveness of palliative chemotherapy versus neoadjuvant chemotherapy followed by radical cystectomy versus cystectomy followed by adjuvant chemotherapy versus cystectomy for regional node‐positive bladder cancer: A retrospective analysis: KCSG GU 17‐03

“…In 2016, there were 4361 new cases of bladder cancer in Korea. 13 In a previous clinical trial of stage IV bladder cancer, the proportion of patients with any T, N1-N3, M0 tumor grade was about 15%. 12 Several guidelines indicated that palliative chemotherapy is the standard of treatment for regional lymph node-positive bladder cancer.…”

“…In 2016, there were 4361 new cases of bladder cancer in Korea . In a previous clinical trial of stage IV bladder cancer, the proportion of patients with any T, N1‐N3, M0 tumor grade was about 15% .…”

Acknowledging the Unsung Role of the Cancer Registry in Rare Cancers

“…In 1999, the KCCR expanded cancer registration to cover the entire Korean population under the Population-Based Regional Cancer Registry program [5]. This database represented 98.2% of the total cancer incidence in 2016, as determined by the Ajuki method [6]. Accurate and complete information obtained through the KCCR can be used to define and monitor cancer incidence, enable epidemiological studies, determine the direction of health care policy, and improve treatment of cancer patients.…”