Epidemiol Health.  2016;38:e2016007. 10.4178/epih.e2016007.

Incidence and mortality rates of colorectal cancer in Malaysia

• Abu Hassan MR
• Ismail I
• Mohd Suan
• Ahmad F
• Wan Khazim WK
• Othman Z
• Mat Said R
• Tan WL
• Rahmah S
• Mohammed N
• Soelar SA
• Nik Mustapha NR

• KMID: 2380720
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.4178/epih.e2016007

Abstract

OBJECTIVES
This is the first study that estimates the incidence and mortality rate for colorectal cancer (CRC) patients in Malaysia by sex and ethnicity.
METHODS
The 4,501 patients were selected from National Cancer Patient Registry-Colorectal Cancer data. Patient survival status was cross-checked with the National Registration Department. The age-standardised rate (ASR) was calculated as the proportion of CRC cases (incidence) and deaths (mortality) from 2008 to 2013, weighted by the age structure of the population, as determined by the Department of Statistics Malaysia and the World Health Organization world standard population distribution.
RESULTS
The overall incidence rate for CRC was 21.32 cases per 100,000. Those of Chinese ethnicity had the highest CRC incidence (27.35), followed by the Malay (18.95), and Indian (17.55) ethnicities. The ASR incidence rate of CRC was 1.33 times higher among males than females (24.16 and 18.14 per 100,000, respectively). The 2011 (44.7%) CRC deaths were recorded. The overall ASR of mortality was 9.79 cases, with 11.85 among the Chinese, followed by 9.56 among the Malays and 7.08 among the Indians. The ASR of mortality was 1.42 times higher among males (11.46) than females (8.05).
CONCLUSIONS
CRC incidence and mortality is higher in males than females. Individuals of Chinese ethnicity have the highest incidence of CRC, followed by the Malay and Indian ethnicities. The same trends were observed for the age-standardised mortality rate.

Keyword

Colorectal neoplasms; Incidence; Mortality; Ethnic groups; Sex; Malaysia

MeSH Terms

Asian Continental Ancestry Group
Colorectal Neoplasms*
Demography
Ethnic Groups
Female
Humans
Incidence*
Malaysia*
Male
Mortality*
World Health Organization