§ Mr. Martyn JonesTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made of the number of people diagnosed with intestinal cancer over the last 10 years; and if he will make a statement on how this compares with other(a) Commonwealth and (b) EU countries. [24470]
§ Mr. MilburnThe number of people diagnosed over the last 10 years in England and Wales with cancers of the small intestine, colon and rectum is shown in table 1. Table 2 gives the figure for bowel cancer, a combination of the three cancers. 241W
Table 2: Incidence of bowel cancer (ICD9 152–154) England and Wales 1983 to 1992 Year Cases males Cases females Age standardised rates per 100,0001 males Age standardised rates per 100,0001 females Crude rate per 100,00 males Bowel (ICD9, 152–154) crude rate per 100,000 female 1983 12,633 13,483 32.9 24.4 52.2 52.9 1984 12,755 13,351 33.0 23.7 52.6 52.3 1985 13,308 13,817 33.8 24.4 54.6 53.9 1986 12,792 13,571 32.3 24.1 52.3 52.8 1987 13,381 13,975 33.7 24.3 54.5 54.2 1988 13,742 14,182 34.2 24.4 55.8 54.9 1989 14,031 14,261 34.5 24.1 56.7 55.0 1990 14,158 14,047 34.5 23.9 56.9 54.0 1991 14,114 14,029 34.3 23.8 56.5 53.7 1992 14,912 14,748 35.8 24.6 59.4 56.3 1 Directly age standaridised using the world standard population. Source:
ONS.
The incidence of colorectal cancer is highest in developed countries in North America, northern and western Europe and New Zealand. The lowest rates are found in Africa and Asia. However, there are difficulties in the comparison of data where health care systems are less well developed and there is no comprehensive or standardised cancer registration system. Table 3 gives estimated incidence (1990) in the European Community for cancer of the colon and rectum.
Table 3: Cancer of the colon and rectum estimated incidence European Community 1990 Country Males Females Number of cases Age standardised rates per 100,000 population Number of cases Age standardised rates per 100,000 population Belgium 2,641 36.9 3,034 31.2 Denmark 1,566 39.2 1,648 32.6 France 14,166 35.1 14,580 26.2 Germany 21,362 39.4 27,809 32.0 Greece 1,389 18.2 1,427 15.8 Ireland 732 35.5 675 27.5 Italy 12,285 29.4 12,489 22.6 Luxembourg 107 41.8 104 28.4 Netherlands 3,416 35.0 3,818 29.3 Portugal 1,893 29.0 1,905 21.9 Spain 6,697 25.9 6,962 20.9 United Kingdom 13,941 32.2 14,721 24.9 European Community 80,195 32.2 89,172 25.5 Source:
Facts and Figures of Cancer in the European Community (IARC,1993).