Choice of relative or cause-specific approach to cancer survival analysis impacts estimates differentially by cancer type, population, and application: evidence from a Canadian population-based cohort study

Table 1 Number of cases, deaths and median age at diagnosis, by cancer type and ethnicity^a (1991 Census Mortality Cohort 2001–2009)

	First Nations					Non-Aboriginal
	Cases (n)	Deaths among cases within 5 years		Age at diagnosis		Cases (n)	Deaths among cases within 5 years		Age at diagnosis
Cancer site	Cases (n)	(n)	(%)	Median	IQR	Cases (n)	(n)	(%)	Median	IQR
TOTAL^b	1730	710	41.0	62.9	(55.4–70.9)	82,805	28,330	34.2	68.1	(59.8-76.3)
Colorectal	405	170	42.0	63.7	(55.8–72.6)	15,755	5665	36.0	70.8	(61.6-78.7)
Lung & bronchus	350	275	78.6	66.5	(59.3–73.7)	15,975	12,380	77.5	70.6	(62.7-77.6)
Breast	340	60	17.6	57.0	(50.9–64.7)	15,415	2020	13.1	62.3	(54.1-72.5)
Prostate	285	45	15.8	66.6	(60.6–73.6)	22,435	2835	12.6	68.4	(61.9-75.2)
Kidney	130	45	34.6	60.3	(53.9–69.7)	3150	1035	32.9	66.2	(57.6-75.0)
NHL	70	35	50.0	63.1	(54.5–72.5)	4840	1750	36.2	67.9	(58.6-77.0)
Stomach	60	45	75.0	59.6	(54.1–68.4)	2275	1610	70.8	71.6	(62.3-79.2)
Oral cavity & pharynx	45	20	44.4	61.6	(51.8–65.4)	2420	860	35.5	63.6	(55.8-73.4)
Cervix	35	15	42.9	59.6	(49.5–70.4)	545	170	31.2	56.6	(50.7-66.8)

IQR Interquartile range, NHL Non-Hodgkin lymphoma
^aFirst primaries only, cases aged 45 to 90 at diagnosis, diagnosed between January 1, 2001, and December 31, 2009, excluding Quebec
^bCounts have been randomly rounded to protect confidentiality as per Statistics Canada guidelines. Totals may not reflect the sum of the rounded counts

ISSN: 1478-7954