Bladder cancer - UK mortality statistics

In 2007 there were 3,283 male deaths from bladder cancer and 1,635 female bladder cancer deaths in the UK. 1-3 The number of bladder cancer deaths and mortality rates for the constituent countries in the UK are shown in Table 2.1.

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The distribution of deaths by age ( Figure 2.1) shows a steep climb with age with around 90% of both male and female deaths occurring after the age of 65. 4

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The bladder cancer age-standardised mortality rates between 1971 and 2007 for the UK are shown in Figure 2.2. 4

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Generally there has been little change in the female bladder cancer mortality rates although overall rates have fallen slightly from around 3.5 in the late 1970s/early 1980s to 2.8 in 2007. In contrast, the male rates have shown a consistent fall since 1992, from 12.2 to 8.1 per 100,000 in the year 2007, a fall of over 30%.

Bladder cancer mortality rates by age are shown for males in Figure 2.3 and females in Figure 2.4.

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Between 1971 and 2007 the mortality rates for men aged 45-64 fell by around 60% from 12.8 to 5.0 per 100,000. Decreases in mortality rates have also been seen in the other age -groups.

It is clear that for females the largest falls in bladder cancer mortality have been in the 45-64 age-group. Rates have fallen from 3.8 per 100,000 in the early 1970s to 2.0 in 2007, a fall of around 50%. The all-ages rate masks this trend.