Cancer of the bladder (ICD-9 188) 

The geographical trends were similar in men and women; the relative (but not absolute) difference was larger in females. The incidence was highest in Denmark (in men 272/106, in women 72/106) and lowest in Belarus (in men 95/106, in women 11/106) and most other post-socialistic areas. Also the mortality rates were highest in Denmark, especially in Copenhagen. The decrease from west to east in mortality was weaker than for incidence, indicating a west-east division in the mortality/incidence ratios.

The increase of incidence by age in the Nordic countries continued to higher ages than in the other countries. In females, the relative difference in age-specific rates was large also in ages below 70.

Comment

Part of the bladder cancers are accounted for by smoking and industrial exposures, but the influence of these factors is not obviously recognisable on the present maps. Hence there are probably additional (largely unknown) factors affecting bladder cancer rates. In contrast to the other countries, the incidence rate in Denmark included papillomas which increase the Danish rate by some 50% (Storm CIV VI, page 565). However papillomas should not affect mortality, which was also highest in Denmark.

Graphs:

National rates incidence & mortality males females
  mortality/incidence males females
Age curves incidence (Baltic+Bel, Den, other Nordic) males females
  mortality (Baltic+Bel, Den, other Nordic) males females
Map incidence males females
  mortality males females
  mortality/incidence males females

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