Incidence and Mortality of Breast Cancer and their Relationship to Development in Asia

Purpose: This study aimed to investigate the incidence and mortality of breast cancer, and its relationshipwith human development index (HDI) and its components in Asia in 2012. Materials and
Methods: This studywas an ecologic study in Asia for assessment of the correlation between age-specific incidence rate (ASIR) andage-specific mortality rate (ASMR) with HDI and its details that include: life expectancy at birth, mean yearsof schooling and gross national income (GNI) per capita. Data about SIR and SMR for every Asian country forthe year 2012 were obtained from the global cancer project. We used a bivariate method for assessment of thecorrelation between SIR and SMR and HDI and its individual components. Statistical significance was assumedif P<0.05. All reported P-values are two-sided. Statistical analyses were performed using SPSS (Version 15.0,SPSS Inc.).
Results: In 2012, 639,824 cases of breast cancer were recorded in Asian countries. Countries withthe highest standardized incidence rate (ASIR) (per 100,000) were Israel (80.5), Lebanon (78.7), Armenia (74.1)and the highest standard mortality rate (ASMR) was observed in Pakistan (25.2), Armenia (24.2), and Lebanon(24). There was a positive correlation between the ASIR of breast cancer and HDI (r = 0.556, p <0.001), whereasthere was a negative correlation between the ASMR of breast cancer and HDI (r = -0.051).
Conclusions: Breastcancer incidence in countries with higher development is greater, while mortality is greatest in countries with lessdevelopment. There was a positive and significant relationship between the ASIR of breast cancer and HDI andits components. Also there was a negative but non significant relationship between the ASMR of breast cancerand HDI.