Cancer Res Treat.  2016 Apr;48(2):789-797. 10.4143/crt.2015.062.

Population-Based Regional Cancer Incidence in Korea: Comparison between Urban and Rural Areas

• Song HN
• Go SI
• Lee WS
• Kim Y
• Choi HJ
• Lee US
• Kang MH
• Lee GW
• Kim HG
• Kang JH
• Kang YS
• Lee JH
• Jung JM
• Hong SC

• KMID: 2454357
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.4143/crt.2015.062

Abstract

PURPOSE
The purpose of this study is to investigate differences in organ-specific cancer incidence according to the region and population size in Korea.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
We reviewed the data of the cancer registration program of Gyeongnam Regional Cancer Center between 2008 and 2011. Age-standardized rates of cancer incidence were analyzed according to population size of the region and administrative zone.
RESULTS
Incidence of thyroid cancer has been increasing rapidly in both urban and rural areas. However, the thyroid cancer incidence was much lower in rural areas than in urban areas and megalopolis such as Seoul. Gastric cancer was relatively more common in rural areas, in megalopolis near the sea (Ulsan, Busan, and Incheon), and other southern provinces (Chungcheongnam-do, Gyeongsangbuk-do, and Gyeongsangnam-do). A detailed analysis in Gyeongsangnam-do revealed that rural areas have relatively low incidence of thyroid and colorectal cancer, and relatively high incidence of gastric and lung cancer compared to urban areas.
CONCLUSION
This study suggests that there are some differences in cancer incidence by population size. Thyroid and colorectal cancer incidence was increasing, and gastric and lung cancer was slightly decreasing in urban areas, whereas gastric and lung cancer incidence still remains high in rural areas.

Keyword

Epidemiology; Rural population; Korea; Urbanization

MeSH Terms

Busan
Colorectal Neoplasms
Epidemiology
Gyeongsangbuk-do
Gyeongsangnam-do
Incidence*
Korea*
Lung Neoplasms
Population Density
Rural Population
Seoul
Stomach Neoplasms
Thyroid Gland
Thyroid Neoplasms
Urbanization

Figure

• 

  Fig. 1. Annual age-standardized cancer incidence for all sites during 1999-2011 nationwide and during 2008-2011 in Gyeongsangnam-do.

• 

  Fig. 2. Trends in age-standardized incidence of major cancers (A, thyroid cancer; B, gastric cancer; C, colorectal cancer; D, hepatobiliary cancer; and E, lung cancer) during 2008-2011 nationwide and Gyeongsangnam-do.

• 

  Fig. 3. Regional cancer incidence according to population size in Gyeongsangnam-do and in Seoul in 2011.

• 

  Fig. 4. Trends in age-standardized incidence of major cancers according to population size during 2008-2011 in Gyeongsangnam-do: metropolitan (A), non-metropolitan urban (B), and rural area (C).

• 

  Fig. 5. Age-standardized incidence of major cancers in megalopolises and provinces in 2011.

Reference

References

1. National Cancer Information Center. Cancer incidence [Internet]. Goyang: National Cancer Information Center;c2012 [cited 2012 Dec 28]. Available from: http://www.cancer.go.kr.

2. World Health Organization (WHO) Databank. WHO statistical information system [Internet]. Geneva: World Health Organization;c2013 [cited 2013 Feb 5]. Available from: http://www.who.int/whosis.

3. Statistics Korea. Cancer mortality [Internet]. Daejeon: Korea National Statistical Office;c2011 [cited 2011 Sep 8]. Available from: http://kostat.go.kr.

4. Maskarinec G, Noh JJ. The effect of migration on cancer incidence among Japanese in Hawaii. Ethn Dis. 2004; 14:431–9.

5. Siegel R, Naishadham D, Jemal A. Cancer statistics, 2012. CA Cancer J Clin. 2012; 62:10–29.

6. Borders TF, Booth BM. Rural, suburban, and urban variations in alcohol consumption in the United States: findings from the National Epidemiologic Survey on Alcohol and Related Conditions. J Rural Health. 2007; 23:314–21.

7. Volzke H, Neuhauser H, Moebus S, Baumert J, Berger K, Stang A, et al. Urban-rural disparities in smoking behaviour in Germany. BMC Public Health. 2006; 6:146.

8. Fournel I, Cottet V, Binquet C, Jooste V, Faivre J, Bouvier AM, et al. Rural-urban differences in the long-term risk of colorectal cancer after adenoma removal: a population-based study. Dig Liver Dis. 2014; 46:376–82.

9. Gao J, Xie L, Chen WQ, Zhang SW, Wu QJ, Yang Y, et al. Rural-urban, sex variations, and time trend of primary liver cancer incidence in China, 1988-2005. Eur J Cancer Prev. 2013; 22:448–54.

10. Wang Z, Goodman M, Saba N, El-Rayes BF. Incidence and prognosis of gastroesophageal cancer in rural, urban, and metropolitan areas of the United States. Cancer. 2013; 119:4020–7.

11. Jung KW, Won YJ, Kong HJ, Oh CM, Lee DH, Lee JS. Cancer statistics in Korea: incidence, mortality, survival, and prevalence in 2011. Cancer Res Treat. 2014; 46:109–23.

12. Fritz A, Percy C, Jack A, Shanmugaratnam K, Sobin L, Parkin DM, et al. International classification of diseases for oncology. 3rd ed. Geneva: World Health Organization;2000.

13. Ahn HS, Kim HJ, Welch HG. Korea's thyroid-cancer "epidemic": screening and overdiagnosis. N Engl J Med. 2014; 371:1765–7.

14. Rose J, Wertheim BC, Guerrero MA. Regional differences in thyroid cancer presentation and survival: a SEER study. Endocr Pract. 2013; 19:998–1006.

15. Piazuelo MB, Correa P. Gastric cancer: overview. Colomb Med (Cali). 2013; 44:192–201.

16. Wang XQ, Terry PD, Yan H. Review of salt consumption and stomach cancer risk: epidemiological and biological evidence. World J Gastroenterol. 2009; 15:2204–13.

17. D'Elia L, Rossi G, Ippolito R, Cappuccio FP, Strazzullo P. Habitual salt intake and risk of gastric cancer: a meta-analysis of prospective studies. Clin Nutr. 2012; 31:489–98.

18. Shikata K, Kiyohara Y, Kubo M, Yonemoto K, Ninomiya T, Shirota T, et al. A prospective study of dietary salt intake and gastric cancer incidence in a defined Japanese population: the Hisayama study. Int J Cancer. 2006; 119:196–201.

19. La Vecchia C, Negri E, D'Avanzo B, Franceschi S. Electric refrigerator use and gastric cancer risk. Br J Cancer. 1990; 62:136–7.

20. Winkels RM, Heine-Broring RC, van Zutphen M, van Harten-Gerritsen S, Kok DE, van Duijnhoven FJ, et al. The COLON study: colorectal cancer: longitudinal, observational study on nutritional and lifestyle factors that may influence colorectal tumour recurrence, survival and quality of life. BMC Cancer. 2014; 14:374.

21. Haenszel W, Kurihara M. Studies of Japanese migrants. I. Mortality from cancer and other diseases among Japanese in the United States. J Natl Cancer Inst. 1968; 40:43–68.

22. Rybojad P, Dluski D, Rybojad B, Kedra M, Sawicki M, Skoczylas P, et al. Urban vs. rural patients. Differences in stage and overall survival among patients treated surgically for lung cancer. Ann Agric Environ Med. 2013; 20:101–5.

23. Schwartz DA. Helminths in the induction of cancer: Opisthorchis viverrini, Clonorchis sinensis and cholangiocarcinoma. Trop Geogr Med. 1980; 32:95–100.

24. Kim C, Kim HG, June KJ, Kim SY. The effects of case management for clients with clonorchiasis in riverside areas. J Korean Acad Community Health Nurs. 2012; 23:427–37.