B119
The contrasting incidence of cancer in teenagers and young adults in India and England
Ramandeep Arora1, Robert Alston1, Tim Eden2, Antony Moran2, Marco Geraci1, Jillian Birch1
1University of Manchester, UK, 2Christie Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, Manchester, UK
Background
Our knowledge of geographic and ethnic variations in the incidence of childhood and adult cancer has enhanced our understanding of their causation and similar analysis of cancers in teenagers and young adults is likely to be informative. We analysed and contrasted the incidence of cancer in those aged 15-29 years in India and England.
Method
All primary neoplasms of malignant behaviour in those aged 15-29 years registered during 2001-2003 in the five urban population-based cancer registries of India and in the eight population-based regional registries in England were included. Classification based on site was used. Age-standardised incidence rates were expressed per 100,000 person years.
Results
4864 of the 84450 cases (5.8%) in India and 8137 of the 656752 cases (1.2%) in England were in those aged 15-29 years. The overall adjusted incidence rate for males and females in this age group in India were 12.91 and 14.19, and in England were 27.75 and 28.88. The higher incidence of cancer in these age groups in England can largely be explained by an excess of incidence in Hodgkin disease, melanoma, testicular, and cervical cancer. The incidence of oral, stomach, gall bladder and bone cancer is significantly higher in India.
Conclusion
The incidence of TYA cancer in England is around double of that in urban India. Variation in environmental exposures between the two countries can explain majority of the observations. Under ascertainment of cases and gender bias in seeking health care may influence incidence rates in India.
