Bladder cancer - UK mortality statistics

Bladder cancer is the sixth most common cause of cancer death in UK men and the eleventh in women. In 2008 there were 5,002 deaths from bladder cancer in the UK; 3,273 male deaths and 1,729 female deaths. 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 almost 9 in 10 deaths occurring after the age of 65. 4

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The bladder cancer age-standardised mortality rates between 1971 and 2008 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 2008. In contrast, the male rates have shown a consistent fall since 1992, from 12.2 to 7.9 per 100,000 in the year 2008, a fall of 35%.

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 2008 the mortality rates for men aged 45-64 fell by more than 60% from 12.8 to 4.9 per 100,000. Decreases in mortality rates have also been seen in the other age -groups excluding the 85+.

It is clear that for females the largest overall fall in bladder cancer mortality since 1971 has been in the 45-64 age-group. Rates have fallen from 3.8 per 100,000 in the early 1970s to 2.0 in 2008, a fall of almost 50%. The all-ages rate masks this trend.