The geography of prostate cancer incidence in Norway: Are the patterns real?
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.5324/nje.v8i1.428Abstract
SUMMARY
The etiology of prostate cancer is to a large extent unknown. There are striking international variations in
incidence, which may indicate that factors that show geographical variations can provide further clues
about etiology. A problem with using incidence data for comparisons in time and space is that the number
of cases reported may be affected by the intensity of diagnosing, since many of the cases are latent and
asymptomatic. The purpose of this study is to adjust the observed pattern of prostate cancer in communes
and counties of Norway for variations which may be due to diagnostic artefacts. It is assumed that a large
proportion of local cancers may be an indication of more intensive diagnosing. Data of prostate cancer
incidence for 1982-91 with tumours specified by degree of spread were provided by the Cancer Registry. A
regression function relating total incidence to % local tumours was used to predict the SIRs adjusted for
variations in % local tumours. The maps comparing incidence patterns before and after adjustement show
that a large part of the significant deviations from the national mean persists, and that the pattern of negative
deviations in the far north is even strengthened. A significant positive correlation between the ratio of
incidence to mortality against % local tumours is found, which supports the main hypothesis of the study.
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