Trends in incidences of stomach and colorectal cancer in Khon Kaen, Thailand 1985-2004.

BACKGROUND: The life styles of Thai people are changing with westernization and this would be expected to have an impact on the prevalence of cancer and other non-communicable diseases. For planning control programmes it is necessary to monitor change over time and the present study was conducted to provide information on stomach and colorectal cancer incidence rates in Khon Kaen Cancer Registry (KKCR), established in 1984 at the Faculty of Medicine, Srinagarind Hospital, Khon Kaen University. OBJECTIVE: To assess trends in urban and rural areas of Khon Kaen province during 1985 - 2004. METHODS: Data for stomach and colorectal cancer with an ICD-O diagnosis (coding C16 , C18 - C20) from the population-based cases of the KKCR, registered between 1985 and 2004, were retrieved and incidence trends were calculated using the Generalized Linear Model method (GLM), which generates incidence-rate-based logarithms. RESULTS: The study population comprised 2,530 cases, 721 of stomach (males 449, females 272) and 1809 of colorectal (males 976, females 833) cancer. Most cases were aged 35-75 years. According to the histopathological diagnosis, the most common was adenocarcinoma with over 90 percent. The overall age-standardized incidence rates (ASR) for stomach cancer were 4.5 and 1.4 per 100 000 in males and females, respectively, during 1985-1989, 3.7 and 2.0 during 1990-1994, 3.0 and 2.2 during 1995-1999 and 3.6 and 1.8 during 2000-2004 . The respective figures for colorectal cancer were 3.3 and 2.6, 4.6 and 3.1, 5.4 and 3.5 and finally 5.8 and 5.3. In both urban and rural areas males were affected more frequently than females, although a shift was evident towards decrease in the se ratio was evident for colorectal cancers over time. DISCUSSION: The results of this study showed slight increase in the incidence of colorectal cancer in Khon Kaen province, while rates for stomach cancer remained quite stable. The findings indicate a need for continuing research in stomach and colorectal cancer epidemiology, with subdivision into particular sites within these two sections of the gut.

Trends in incidence of childhood leukemia, Khon Kaen, Thailand, 1985-2002.

BACKGROUND: The Khon Kaen Cancer Registry (KKCR), providing both hospital and population-based registration, was established in 1984 in the Faculty of Medicine, Khon Kaen University. Leukemia is the most common cancer among Thai children in Thailand, including both curable and preventable types, but no assessment of trends has hitherto been performed. OBJECTIVE: To perform a statistical assessment of the incidence trend of childhood leukemia in Khon Kaen, Thailand, between 1985 and 2002. METHODS: Population-based cases of childhood leukemia registered between 1985 and 2002 were retrieved from the KKCR and cases with an ICD-O diagnosis (coding C42) in children under 15 were selected. Incidence trends were calculated using the Generalized Linear Model method (GLM), which generates incidence-rate-based logarithms. RESULTS: Of the 277 cases of leukemia, boys were affected two times more frequently than girls and half of the cases were 0-4 years of age. Most diagnoses were histologically- or cytologically-proven and the most common type (affecting two-thirds, 65.7%) was acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL). The overall, age-standardized rate (ASR) for leukemia was 31.9 per million (95%CI: 28.1 to 35.7); 40.3 per million (95%CI: 34.2 to 46.4) in boys and 27.0 (95%CI: 21.8 to 32.2) in girls. Incidence has been increasing by 2.4% per year in boys (95% CI: -0.5 to 5.3) and 4.1% per year in girls (95% CI: 1.1 to 7.2). CONCLUSIONS: This incidence-rate-based logarithm indicates that childhood leukemia has been increasing, suggesting further epidemiological research on causes and possible prevention is needed.