Colorectal cancer prevalence in France

Cancer prevalence is a crucial indicator that allows the magnitude of the p roblem of colorectal cancer to be monitored. Population-based cancer regist ries with long-standing activity are the most appropriate tools for providi ng prevalence data. All colorectal cases registered between 1976 and 1995 i n the Cote d'Or Cancer Registry have been considered in this study. Total p revalence (20 years) was the number of patients with a previously diagnosed colorectal cancer, alive on 31 December 1995, Cumulative recurrence rates up to 5 years after diagnosis were calculated and applied to the number of prevalent cases to estimate the number of recurrences by one-year intervals up to 5 years. The overall age-standardized prevalence rate was 170.8/ 100 000, which yielded an estimated 185 857 French people alive with a history of colorectal cancer. The 5-year prevalence rates were 149.4/100 000, whic h represented 46.4% of prevalent cases. Five-year prevalence rates regularl y increased with periods of diagnosis. These results represent useful indic ators for monitoring the colorectal cancer problem and for health care plan ning. (C) 2000 Lippincott Williams & Wilkins.