OBJECTIVE

Our study tends to identify the major trends in mortality from cancer of the cervix uteri in Japan during a 50-year period (1950-2000); and to consider the negative contribution of cancer of the cervix uteri to life expectancy.

METHODS

The age specific rates for mortality of cervix cancer, based on the data collected by Vital Statistics of Japan. The contribution of cervical cancer to the overall change in life expectancy was calculated by the cause-elimination life table.

RESULTS

The mortality rates show a large variance during this 50- year period. The highest mortality rate was 3.74 /100000 in 2000 and the lowest mortality rate was 1.19 /100000 in 1950. The rate for 2000 was about 3 times higher than that for 1950. The high mortality rates occurred mainly in the elderly population during the period from 1950-2000. In addition, the difference observed in cervical cancer death was thus found to affect life expectancy. The highest negative contribution was 0.08 year in 1960 and the lowest was 0.02 year in 1950.

CONCLUSIONS

The mortality rates of cervical cancer in Japan showed a large difference during the period from 1950-2000. This cancer was not attributable to an increased coverage of a pronounced prolongation in life expectancy in Japan.

Keywords: mortality, cancer, cervix uteri, life expectancy