Cancer incidence (Indicator 2)
Last update
The indicator describes the following: cancer incidence, by type of cancer, per 100 000 person years.
This indicator is part of Target (1): 25 per cent reduction in overall mortality from cancer, cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and chronic respiratory disease.
Results
The incidence rates for all cancers combined have increased significantly over the past 70 years. In the early 1950s, when the cancer registration began in Norway, there were 324 cases of cancer diagnosed per 100,000 men, and 282 cases per 100 000 women. Today, the rates are more than twice as high (see table 1). These overall trends are reflected in the trends for most cancer sites. Figure 1 shows the time trends in age-standardised (Norwegian standard) incidence rates for selected cancer over seven decades.
- The most pronounced upward trends have been for lung cancer among women and skin cancer (melanoma and non-melanoma) in both sexes. For these types of cancer, today’s rates are more than 10 times higher than they were in the early 1950s.
- Stomach cancer is the only cancer site that have had a steady and sharp decline in incidence since the early 1950s. The incidence of cervical cancer is also lower now than it was when cancer registration began in the 1950s, but the decrease has not been as substantial as it has been for stomach cancer.
- Prostate cancer has been by far the most common cancer among men since 1960s. It currently accounts for more than 26 percent of all newly diagnosed cancer cases among men.
- Breast cancer has been the most common cancer among women since cancer registration began in Norway. Today, it accounts for more than 23 per cent of all newly diagnosed cancer cases among women.
Table accompanying the figures
ICD-10 | Sites | Sex | 1954–1958 | 1959–1963 | 1964–1968 | 1969–1973 | 1974–1978 | 1979–1983 | 1984–1988 | 1989–1993 | 1994–1998 | 1999–2003 | 2004–2008 | 2009–2013 | 2014–2018 | 2019–2023 |
C00–96 | All sites | Females | 282,2 | 286,8 | 302,8 | 315,7 | 347,9 | 368,4 | 381,9 | 408,2 | 442,4 | 473,9 | 504,9 | 525,6 | 558,1 | 569,1 |
C00–96 | All sites | Males | 323,5 | 340,9 | 374,2 | 402,1 | 453,9 | 489,0 | 517,9 | 561,0 | 605,7 | 637,0 | 698,8 | 725,4 | 732,0 | 707,3 |
C16 | Stomach | Females | 48,1 | 40,9 | 33,6 | 26,0 | 21,7 | 19,6 | 16,3 | 13,4 | 11,4 | 9,2 | 8,5 | 6,9 | 6,0 | 6,0 |
C16 | Stomach | Males | 77,9 | 66,3 | 60,2 | 48,9 | 41,4 | 37,7 | 32,7 | 29,1 | 24,0 | 19,6 | 16,4 | 13,6 | 11,9 | 10,3 |
C18 | Colon | Females | 19,9 | 21,3 | 24,8 | 25,6 | 30,7 | 35,1 | 37,5 | 39,6 | 44,5 | 46,5 | 48,4 | 51,1 | 54,1 | 52,4 |
C18 | Colon | Males | 19,1 | 21,8 | 25,8 | 26,2 | 31,5 | 36,8 | 41,9 | 47,2 | 49,4 | 52,8 | 56,1 | 58,4 | 59,3 | 56,1 |
C19–20 | Rectum, | Females | 8,2 | 8,3 | 10,1 | 13,4 | 15,7 | 18,5 | 18,1 | 19,4 | 19,8 | 19,8 | 20,6 | 20,2 | 19,6 | 18,8 |
C19–20 | Rectum, | Males | 12,6 | 14,1 | 15,1 | 20,0 | 24,9 | 30,0 | 30,2 | 31,8 | 32,1 | 33,8 | 33,1 | 33,6 | 32,7 | 30,0 |
C22 | Liver | Females | 0,8 | 0,9 | 1,0 | 1,5 | 1,5 | 1,8 | 2,0 | 2,0 | 1,6 | 2,0 | 2,1 | 2,9 | 3,8 | 4,6 |
C22 | Liver | Males | 1,2 | 1,6 | 2,3 | 2,9 | 3,3 | 3,3 | 3,9 | 3,5 | 3,0 | 4,2 | 4,4 | 6,0 | 7,6 | 8,9 |
C25 | Pancreas | Females | 6,6 | 7,4 | 8,2 | 10,0 | 10,2 | 11,4 | 12,8 | 12,2 | 13,0 | 13,0 | 13,6 | 13,9 | 14,5 | 14,8 |
C25 | Pancreas | Males | 10,9 | 11,5 | 14,4 | 16,4 | 16,4 | 17,6 | 17,7 | 16,4 | 15,8 | 15,7 | 16,7 | 16,4 | 17,8 | 18,2 |
C33–34 | Lung, tranchea | Females | 4,6 | 5,0 | 6,1 | 8,6 | 9,8 | 12,9 | 17,2 | 23,5 | 28,8 | 36,2 | 43,3 | 49,1 | 54,7 | 53,2 |
C33–34 | Lung, tranchea | Males | 16,8 | 23,3 | 30,2 | 37,7 | 47,6 | 55,9 | 63,6 | 65,9 | 69,5 | 71,4 | 72,7 | 72,2 | 67,9 | 61,2 |
C43 | Melanoma of the skin | Females | 3,4 | 4,5 | 6,5 | 8,3 | 13,0 | 15,5 | 19,4 | 22,5 | 22,9 | 23,4 | 25,6 | 33,0 | 38,8 | 42,7 |
C43 | Melanoma of the skin | Males | 3,1 | 4,6 | 6,0 | 8,3 | 11,1 | 13,4 | 16,5 | 22,5 | 23,8 | 24,1 | 27,8 | 35,8 | 44,0 | 47,9 |
C44 | Skin, non melanoma | Females | 4,9 | 3,3 | 3,0 | 5,2 | 7,7 | 8,6 | 11,4 | 14,3 | 16,5 | 17,9 | 22,3 | 25,3 | 30,7 | 40,2 |
C44 | Skin, non melanoma | Males | 9,4 | 6,6 | 7,0 | 12,0 | 15,2 | 16,9 | 21,6 | 25,8 | 29,1 | 31,4 | 36,7 | 40,6 | 48,8 | 60,6 |
C50 | Breast | Females | 58,7 | 63,2 | 68,1 | 69,7 | 76,7 | 81,3 | 86,0 | 89,2 | 104,8 | 116,6 | 116,9 | 117,2 | 128,1 | 135,2 |
C53 | Cervix uteri | Females | 20,4 | 20,4 | 22,0 | 24,0 | 24,7 | 20,0 | 16,4 | 17,3 | 15,5 | 13,0 | 12,3 | 12,1 | 14,1 | 12,9 |
C54 | Corpus uteri | Females | 10,4 | 12,1 | 13,6 | 15,7 | 18,1 | 19,6 | 19,2 | 21,6 | 22,3 | 25,5 | 28,9 | 28,6 | 27,5 | 26,0 |
C56, C57.0–4, C48.2 | Ovary etc. | Females | 15,8 | 17,1 | 19,3 | 20,4 | 20,4 | 21,7 | 22,6 | 22,4 | 22,3 | 22,2 | 21,2 | 20,1 | 19,0 | 17,2 |
C61 | Prostate | Males | 60,6 | 68,2 | 79,5 | 84,8 | 98,4 | 102,4 | 107,3 | 125,2 | 151,2 | 169,5 | 208,7 | 211,8 | 202,0 | 181,2 |
C62 | Testis | Males | 3,1 | 3,9 | 4,0 | 4,8 | 5,2 | 6,0 | 7,0 | 8,5 | 9,1 | 10,3 | 11,6 | 12,1 | 11,4 | 10,5 |
C65–68 | Urinary tract | Females | 8,2 | 8,2 | 8,8 | 10,1 | 11,2 | 12,1 | 11,5 | 12,0 | 12,1 | 12,9 | 13,4 | 14,0 | 14,0 | 13,6 |
C65–68 | Urinary tract | Males | 16,7 | 18,8 | 24,2 | 27,1 | 34,9 | 39,4 | 42,2 | 46,3 | 46,7 | 45,4 | 48,3 | 45,7 | 47,4 | 46,5 |
C70–72 | Central nervous system | Females | 6,2 | 6,7 | 7,2 | 6,6 | 8,9 | 10,4 | 11,6 | 13,2 | 16,3 | 21,8 | 26,6 | 24,2 | 21,1 | 19,9 |
C70–72 | Central nervous system | Males | 7,1 | 7,6 | 8,3 | 8,6 | 9,7 | 11,0 | 12,7 | 13,6 | 15,2 | 19,2 | 21,9 | 21,7 | 19,3 | 17,1 |
C73 | Thyroid gland | Females | 3,6 | 3,5 | 4,3 | 5,5 | 6,4 | 7,3 | 6,6 | 6,6 | 5,4 | 5,9 | 7,0 | 8,9 | 10,9 | 12,7 |
C73 | Thyroid gland | Males | 1,3 | 1,7 | 1,9 | 2,3 | 2,4 | 2,8 | 2,4 | 2,4 | 2,4 | 2,5 | 2,9 | 3,6 | 4,8 | 5,4 |
C82–86, C96 | Non-Hodgkin lymphoma | Females | 3,3 | 4,0 | 5,4 | 5,6 | 6,6 | 8,0 | 10,1 | 11,8 | 12,6 | 13,6 | 14,5 | 16,0 | 15,7 | 15,4 |
C82–86, C96 | Non-Hodgkin lymphoma | Males | 5,9 | 6,4 | 7,7 | 7,6 | 9,6 | 10,3 | 13,8 | 15,6 | 17,7 | 17,7 | 20,3 | 22,2 | 22,2 | 21,6 |
C91–95 | Leukaemia | Females | 7,3 | 8,0 | 8,5 | 8,2 | 9,1 | 8,6 | 8,4 | 9,2 | 12,8 | 13,9 | 16,3 | 18,2 | 20,8 | 20,3 |
C91–95 | Leukaemia | Males | 10,3 | 11,9 | 12,3 | 13,1 | 13,7 | 14,2 | 13,8 | 14,7 | 19,4 | 22,7 | 24,0 | 27,8 | 29,8 | 28,8 |
Table 1: Age-standardised (Norwegian standard) incidence rates per 100 000 person-years by primary sites and five-year period, 1954–2023. Source: The Cancer Registry of Norway, Statistics bank (https://www.kreftregisteret.no/en/The-Registries/data-and-statistics/). Access date: 01.11.2024.
Read more about cancer in Folkehelserapporten: Kreft i Norge (in Norwegian only)
Data source: Cancer Registry of Norway
The data source for this indicator is the Cancer Registry of Norway. A description and definitions follow below.
Description
The Cancer Registry of Norway has information about new cancer cases in the population. Information from clinical notifications, pathology reports and death certificates are the main sources that enable the registry to identify cancer cases. In addition, the Cancer Registry of Norway obtains all C and D codes from the Norwegian Patient Registry and can thus search for missing clinical information for patients who are not registered; the Cancer Registry of Norway is considered to be almost 100 per cent complete. Cancer statistics on incidence, mortality, survival and prevalence are reported in the annual edition of “Cancer in Norway.” Moreover, the NORDCAN database provides information on cancer statistics for the Nordic countries, and global cancer statistics are available from the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), Global Cancer Observatory.
The incidence figures provided here are based on Cancer in Norway 2023 and the Cancer Registry of Norway’ statistics bank.
Links:
Effect measure
The incidence is presented as age-standardised rates per 100 000 person years, and Norway’s population in 2014 (mid-year population in 2014) is used as a weight in the reference population for age-standardisation. The period of measurement is 1954–-2023, both genders and all age groups are included.
In age standardisation, the number of new cancer cases per 100 000 person years is adjusted (weighted) in relation to a standard population and expresses the number of new cancer cases such as it would have been if the age composition had been the same as the standard population during all periods. Standardisation is used to enable comparison of rates across populations and time.
| ICD-10 | Site | Comments |
C00–96* | All sites | Includes the following D-diagnoses: D32–33, D35.2–4, D42–43, D44.3–5 and D45–47. Excludes all basal cell carcinomas of all topographies. Registered codes from ICD-7, ICD-O-2 and ICD-O-3 are converted to ICD-10 using a combination of topography and morphology. This means that, for example, a neuroendocrine tumour is included in the cancer site from which it originated. |
C00 | Lip | Includes the following ICD-10 codes: C00.0–2, C00.6, C00.8 (only included if Lip NOS), C00.9 |
C02–06 |
Oral cavity | Includes the following ICD-10 codes: C00.3–5, C00.8 (if the tumour is in mucosa of upper or lower lip), C02.0–4, C02.8–9, C03.0–9, C04.0–9, C05.0, C05.8, C05.9, C06.0–9 |
C07–08 | Salivary glands | Includes the following ICD-10 codes: C07.9, C08.0–9 |
C09–10, C01, C14 | Oropharynx | Includes the following ICD-10 codes: C01.9, C05.1–2, C09.0–9, C10.0–9, C14.0–8 |
C11 | Nasopharynx | Includes the following ICD-10 codes: C11.0–9 |
C12–13 | Hypopharynx | Includes the following ICD-10 codes: C12.9, C13.0–9 |
C38 | Heart, mediastinum and pleura | Excludes mesotheliomas (which are included in C45) |
C44 | Skin, non-melanoma | Excludes all basal cell carcinomas and keratoacanthomas |
C46 | Kaposi’s sarcoma | Kaposi’s sarcoma is included under the site where the diseases have been diagnosed. Most cases are diagnosed under skin, non-melanoma (C44). |
C48–49 | Soft tissues etc. | Includes retroperitoneum and peritoneum (C48). In women, cases in peritoneum (C48.2) are excluded, as these are included in ovary etc. (C56, C57.0–4, C48.2) |
C50 | Breast | Excludes Paget's disease |
C56, C57.0–4, C48.2 | Ovary etc. | Excludes borderline tumours. Includes the following sites: Neoplasms in peritoneum (C48.2, epithelial tumours), fallopian tube (C57.0), broad ligament (C57.1), round ligament (C57.2), parametrium (C57.3), uterine adnexa, unspecified (C57.4), and epithelial tumours supposed to originate from tube, ovary or peritoneum. It also includes adult granulosa cell tumour |
C64 | Kidney (excl. renal pelvis) | Excludes non-invasive tumours |
C65-68 | Urinary tract | Includes non-invasive papillary tumours, dysplasia and carcinoma in situ (D09, D41) |
C70-72 | Central nervous system | Includes benign tumours (D32–33, D42–43) |
C75 | Other endocrine glands and related structures | Includes benign tumours (D35.2–4, D44.3–5) |
C90 | Multiple myeloma | Includes plasmacytomas (C90.2–3) |
C92 | Myeloid leukaemia | Includes myelodysplastic syndrome (D46) |
C95 | Leukaemia of unspecified cell type | Includes polycythaemia vera (D45) and other unspecified tumours in lymphatic or hematopoietic tissue (D47) |
National adaptation to global indicators
WHO’s definition of the indicator
Indicator 2. Cancer incidence, by type of cancer, per 100 000 population.
National adaptation
The Cancer Registry of Norway reports national data to the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), WHO. WHO uses the WHO Standard Population when presenting the figures. Due to different data processing methods, there may be some divergence between the data presented above and the data presented by WHO.