European Journal of Cancer Prevention
Volume 20, Issue 3, 2011, Pages 150-156

Breast and stomach cancer incidence and survival in migrants in the Netherlands, 1996-2006 (Article)

Arnold M.* , Aarts M.J. , Siesling S. , Van Der Aa M. , Visser O. , Coebergh J.W.
  • a Department of Epidemiology and International Public Health, Bielefeld University, School of Public Health, PO Box 10 01 31, Bielefeld 33501, Germany, Department of Public Health, Erasmus Medical Centre Rotterdam, Netherlands
  • b Comprehensive Cancer Centre South, Eindhoven Cancer Registry (IKZ), Netherlands
  • c Comprehensive Cancer Centre North East, Enschede/Groningen Cancer Registry (IKNO), Netherlands
  • d Comprehensive Cancer Centre North East, Enschede/Groningen Cancer Registry (IKNO), Netherlands
  • e Comprehensive Cancer Centre Amsterdam, Amsterdam Cancer Registry (IKA), Netherlands
  • f Department of Epidemiology and International Public Health, Bielefeld University, School of Public Health, PO Box 10 01 31, Bielefeld 33501, Germany, Department of Public Health, Erasmus Medical Centre Rotterdam, Netherlands

Abstract

Migrant populations experience a health transition that influences their cancer risk, determined by environmental changes and acculturation processes. In this retrospective cohort study, we investigated differences in breast and stomach cancer risk and survival in migrants to the Netherlands. Invasive breast and stomach cancer cases diagnosed between 1996 and 2006 were selected from the Netherlands Cancer Registry. Standardized incidence ratios (SIR) were computed as the ratio of observed and expected cancers. Differences in the survival were expressed as hazard ratio (HR) using Cox regression and relative survival rates (RSR). All migrant women exhibited a significantly lower risk for breast cancer compared with Dutch natives. However, 5-year RSR was lower in all migrants (range 68-73%) compared with Dutch natives (85%). Death rates were increased in Moroccan [HR=1.2 (1.0-1.5)] and reduced in Indonesian [HR=0.8 (0.8-0.9)] patients with breast cancer. The incidence of noncardia stomach cancer was significantly elevated in all migrants, being highest in Turkish males [SIR=1.9 (1.6-2.3)]. Cardia stomach cancer was less frequent in all migrants, being lowest in Surinamese males [SIR=0.3 (0.2-0.6)]. Death rates for stomach cancer were lower in patients from Morocco [HR=0.6 (0.4-0.9)], whereas 1-year RSR for stomach cancer was better in all migrant groups. Both lower breast cancer rates and higher stomach cancer rates point to a strong link between environmental exposures, behavioural patterns and cancer risk during the life course. Favourable risks in migrants should be sustained as long as possible whereas survival disparities require careful monitoring and counteraction with preventive means as well as improved access to healthcare. © 2011 Wolters Kluwer Health | Lippincott Williams & Wilkins.

Author Keywords

Health transition cancer Survival Ethnicity prevention

Index Keywords

Netherlands immigrant breast cancer survival rate Prospective Studies human middle aged Cohort Studies cancer survival priority journal cancer risk Aged Stomach Neoplasms Young Adult Humans Breast Neoplasms Adolescent Infant, Newborn male female Infant Child, Preschool Risk Factors Incidence Article cancer mortality Retrospective Studies Neoplasm Invasiveness major clinical study adult survival time cohort analysis Transients and Migrants retrospective study cancer incidence stomach cancer Child
Link
https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-79955061636&doi=10.1097%2fCEJ.0b013e3283431c40&partnerID=40&md5=c6f24f6d9e3e7409c253237631e5fb06
DOI: 10.1097/CEJ.0b013e3283431c40
ISSN: 09598278
Cited by: 9
Original Language: English