Burden of gastric and digestive cancers in the French Caribbean: perspectives from population-based cancer registries of Martinique, Guadeloupe and French Guiana (2007–2014)

OBJECTIVES: Data from population-based cancer registries contribute to improving our knowledge of digestive cancer trends worldwide. In this study, we present cancer incidence and mortality in Guadeloupe, French Guiana and Martinique for the periods 2008–2014, 2010–2014 and 2007–2014, respectively. DESIGN: Data were extracted from population-based cancer registries. World-standardised incidence (WSI) and mortality (WSM) rates were calculated. Main digestive cancers were analysed, including oesophagus, stomach, colorectum, liver and pancreas cancers. SETTING: This study was performed based on data from French Territories in the Caribbean. RESULTS: We observed a lower-incidence compared with mainland France, except for stomach cancer for which the incidence is high, with significant standardised incidence ratios in men and women at 1.90 vs 2.29 for Guadeloupe and French Guiana and 1.58 vs 2.31 for Martinique. We found a lower-mortality, except for stomach cancer for which the mortality remains high, with significant mortality ratios in men and women at 2.10 vs 2.74 for Guadeloupe, 1.64 vs 1.79 for French Guiana and 2.05 vs 2.53 for Martinique. Overall, these three regions have similar WSI and WSM rates which remain lower than those in mainland France. We noticed an overall high incidence and high mortality in men compared with women as in France. CONCLUSIONS: There is a high incidence of stomach cancer in French overseas territories. Publication of these data contributed to expanding knowledge on the epidemiology of world cancers with data from the Caribbean zone.