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The analysis of cancer trends in Japan requires periodic updating. Herein, we present a comprehensive report on the trends in cancer incidence and mortality in Japan using recent population-based data. National cancer mortality data between 1958 and 2013 were obtained from published vital statistics. Cancer incidence data between 1985 and 2010 were obtained from high-quality population-based cancer registries of three prefectures (Yamagata, Fukui and Nagasaki). Joinpoint regression analysis was performed to examine the trends in age-standardized rates of cancer incidence and mortality. All-cancer mortality decreased from the mid-1990s, with an annual percent change of −1.3% (95% confidence interval [CI]: −1.4, −1.3). During the most recent 10 years, over 60% of the decrease in cancer mortality was accounted for by a decrease in stomach and liver cancers (63% for males and 66% for females). The long-term increase in female breast cancer mortality, beginning in the 1960s, plateaued in 2008. All-cancer incidence continuously increased, with annual percent changes of 0.6% (95% CI: 0.5, 0.8) between 1985 and 2005, and 1.8% (95% CI: 0.6, 2.9) between 2005 and 2010. During the most recent 10 years, almost half of the increase in cancer incidence was accounted for by an increase in prostate cancer (60%) in males and breast cancer (46%) in females. The cancer registry quality indices also began to increase from ∼2005. Decreases in stomach and liver cancers observed for incidence and mortality reflect the reduced attribution of infection-related factors (i.e. Helicobacter pylori and hepatitis virus). However, it should be noted that cervical cancer incidence and mortality rates began to increase from ∼1990.

Background: Unlike many North American and European countries, Japan has observed a continuous increase in cancer incidence over the last few decades. We examined the most recent trends in population-based cancer incidence and mortality in Japan.Methods: National cancer mortality data between 1958 and 2018 were obtained from published vital statistics. Cancer incidence data between 1985 and 2015 were obtained from high-quality population-based cancer registries maintained by three prefectures (Yamagata, Fukui, and Nagasaki). Trends in age-standardized rates (ASR) were examined using Joinpoint regression analysis.Results: For males, all-cancer incidence increased between 1985 and 1996 (annual percent change (APC): +1.1% [95% confidence interval: 0.7, 1.5]), increased again in 2000-2010 (+1.3% [0.9, 1.8]), and then decreased until 2015 (-1.4% [-2.5, -0.3]). For females, all-cancer incidence increased until 2010 (+0.8% [0.6, 0.9] in 1985-2004, +2.4% [1.3, 3.4] in 2004-2010), and stabilized thereafter until 2015. The post-2000 increase was mainly attributable to prostate in males and breast in females, which slowed or levelled during the first decade of the 2000s. After a sustained increase, all-cancer mortality for males decreased in 1996-2013 (-1.6% [-1.6, -1.5]) and accelerated thereafter until 2018 (-2.5% [-2.9, -2.0]). All-cancer mortality for females decreased intermittently throughout the observation period, with the most recent APC of -1.0% [-1.1, -0.9] in 2003-2018. The recent decreases in mortality in both sexes, and in incidence in males, were mainly attributable to stomach, liver and male lung.Conclusion: The ASR of all-cancer incidence began decreasing significantly in males and levelled off in females in 2010.

Japan's largest platform for academic e-journals: J-STAGE is a full text database for reviewed academic papers published by Japanese societies

The analysis of cancer trends in Japan has only been sporadically reported. We present a comprehensive report on the trends in cancer incidence and mortality in Japan using the most recent population-based data. National cancer mortality data between 1958 and 2011 were obtained from published vital statistics. Cancer incidence data between 1985 and 2007 were obtained from high-quality population-based cancer registries of four prefectures (Miyagi, Yamagata, Fukui and Nagasaki). Joinpoint regression analysis was performed to examine the trends in age-standardized rates of cancer incidence and mortality. All-cancer mortality decreased from the mid-1990s, with an annual percent change of −1.3% (95% confidence interval: −1.4, −1.3), while all-cancer incidence continually increased from 1985, with an annual percent change of 0.7% (95% confidence interval: 0.6, 0.8). Major cancer sites, particularly the liver, colorectum and lung (males), showed a pattern of increasing incidence and mortality rates until the mid-1990s, stabilizing or decreasing thereafter. Stomach cancer showed a long-term decreasing trend for both incidence and mortality, while female breast cancer showed a continuously increasing trend. The incidence of prostate cancer, particularly at the localized stage, increased rapidly between 2000 and 2003, while that of mortality decreased from 2004. No changes were detected in the incidence or mortality for colorectal, female breast or cervical cancers after the establishment of national screening programs for these cancers. The analysis of cancer trends in Japan revealed a recent decrease in mortality and a continuous increase in incidence, which are considered to reflect changes in the underlying risk factors such as tobacco smoking and infection, and are partially explained by early detection and improved treatment.

Little is known about cancer incidence among children and youths in Japan. We aimed to describe cancer incidence in Japan focusing on childhood, adolescence and young adulthood (AYA). Cancer incidence data were obtained from the Monitoring of Cancer Incidence in Japan project. For the 2009–2011 incidence, the data were collected from 40 prefectures, of which data from 27 prefectures meeting quality standards were analyzed (population coverage: 38.6%). Cancers diagnosed in 0–39 years of age were classified according to the International Classification of Childhood Cancer (version 3). Crude incidence rates of cancer (including benign or behavior-unknown brain tumors) were 122.7, 142.2, 310.7, and 910.6 for the 0–14, 15–19, 20–29, and 30–39 age groups, respectively (per million population). Using the sex- and age-specific incidence rates, the national estimates of cancer incidence were 2055 for 0–14 years (1118 males and 937 females), 864 for 15–19 years (450 males and 414 females), 4246 for 20–29 years (1699 males and 2547 females), and 16 295 for 30–39 years of age (5101 males and 11 194 females). The five leading cancers were leukemia, cancer of the central nervous system (CNS), lymphoma, malignant germ cell and other gonadal tumors, and neuroblastoma in childhood cases (0–14 years old); leukemia, malignant germ cell and other gonadal tumors, lymphoma, CNS, and malignant bone tumors in adolescence (15–19 years old). The leading cancer in 20–29 years of age was malignant germ cell other gonadal tumors (mainly testis and ovary), whereas female breast cancer was most frequent in 30–39 years of age. These results provide an overall picture of childhood and AYA cancer in Japan.