Cancer incidence and mortality in Italy, 2013–2017

The demographic transition, together with changes in lifestyles and the exposure to other risk factors, contributed to a rising burden of chronic degenerative diseases, including cancer, in Italy. We provided updated figures on cancer incidence and mortality in Italy during the period 2013–2017, using data provided by 34 population-based cancer registries from the AIRTUM network. Age-standardized incidence rates (ASRs) and age-standardized mortality rates (ASMRs) per 100,000 were estimated, stratified by sex, cancer site or type, and macroarea. The cumulative risk (number of individuals who need to be followed over a lifetime for one to develop cancer), stratified by cancer site and sex, was estimated. Overall, 1,359,053 incident cancer cases (52.8 % in men) were registered during the surveillance period. The ASR for all malignant tumours was 657.1 per 100,000 among men and 475.5 per 100,000 among women. We documented the highest ASRs for all cancer sites in both sexes (males: 685.7 per 100,000, females: 496.1 per 100,000) in the North, followed by the Center (males: 646.6 per 100,000, females: 488.1 per 100,000), and the South and Islands (males: 626.7 per 100,000, females: 435.4 per 100,000). Mortality rates are less than half that of incidence rates (SMR was 331.8 per 100,000 men and 188.8 per 100,000 women), with negligible differences among Italian areas. One man out of two and 1 women out of three may develop a cancer in their lifetime. Despite incidence and mortality figures in Italy were almost aligned with the ones documented in Europe, our findings recalled the importance for policy-makers to implement national policies and community-based prevention strategies aimed at reducing the cancer burden.