Mortality trends caused by neoplasias in the senior population in a municipal district of Paraná state, 1979-1998

Abstract

With the aging of population it is necessary to know the health situation of the elderly because, the morbidity is usually linked to chronic diseases. The mortality by neoplasia was studied on individuals 60 years old and over who were living in Maringá, state of Paraná, from 1979 to 1998. The records of deaths were obtained from the database of SIM, and the population was obtained from the demographic censuses of IBGE. Data were analyzed by sex, age and three-year period. Neoplasia was the second cause, with 17.9% of the total deaths in the senior population. For men the proportional mortality of 16.4% by stomach cancer decreased to 14.2%. Lung cancer increased 79.5%, going from the third to second place. Prostate cancer went from 12.1% to 15.3% being, in the final three-year period the most frequent one. For women, stomach cancer was the most frequent with 13.2% of the deaths. Breast cancer increased 109.6%. Lung cancer in women increased 85.3%, and the cervical cancer reduced 62%. For the elderly, the risk of dying from neoplasia increased and it grows with the age. For the men the risk increased in all cancer types, predominantly esophagus (175.7%), lung (128%) and prostate (69.6%). In women prevails the increase of 133.6% in the risk of breast cancer, 133.6% of lung cancer, and it was observed a 57.9% decrease in cervical cancer. With the aging chronic diseases will also increase and among them the cancer. Thus, the services and professionals of health must be prepared for such growing demand.