Breast cancer incidence and mortality in Lower Silesia (Poland) between 1984 and 2003 — trends and perspectives

Abstract The purpose of the study was to determine the epidemiological characteristics of breast cancers diagnosed among Lower Silesian women between 1984 and 2003. Data from the Lower Silesian Cancer Registry on the incidence and mortality of breast neoplasms in the Lower Silesian province were analyzed. The annual number of breast cancers and cancer-related deaths increased markedly between 1984 and 2003. The non-standardized coefficients of incidence in the large cities of Wroclaw, Legnica, and Walbrzych were markedly higher than in the other counties of the province. The number of tumors detected with diameters ≤5 cm increased from 57% in 1984 to 81% in 2003. The increasing incidence of breast cancer seemed to be mostly related to the socioeconomic characteristics of Lower Silesian women. Although a down-staging due to better care reflects some positive trends, the outlook for breast cancer in Lower Silesia remains unfavorable.