Trends for liver cancer and bile ducts in Northern Brazil

Abstract

In Brazil, since the end of the 1970s, the liver cancer mortality is out of the top five topographies of cancer in Brazil and Brazilian regions, except in the North. This study aimed to analyze the time trends in liver cancer and bile ducts mortality in the North Region between 1980 and 2011. This is a time series study in which was calculated the standardized mortality rate for both sexes. It was used the polynomial regression for statistical modeling. It was also estimated the standardized mortality ratio in order to compare mortality in the North and that one to the rest of Brazil. The liver cancer mortality still stands out in the North Region than in Brazil in general, for both sexes (standardized mortality ratio = 143 for men and 132 for women). However, there is a downward trend in both which is more pronounced in the North, both men (respectively 0.3% per year and 7.6% per year) and women (respectively, 0.2% per year and 6.4% per year). It is important to emphasize the primary prevention of cancer, especially increasing the immunization coverage against hepatitis B and intensifying ways of preventing hepatitis C.