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@ARTICLE{Tetzlaff:304287,
author = {F. Tetzlaff and B. Barnes and L. Jansen$^*$ and F. Peters
and A. Schultz and A. Katalinic and K. Kraywinkel and N.
Michalski and E. Nowossadeck and J. Hoebel},
title = {{W}idening socioeconomic inequalities in cancer incidence
and related potential to reduce cancer between 2008 and 2019
in {G}ermany.},
journal = {Scientific reports},
volume = {15},
number = {1},
issn = {2045-2322},
address = {[London]},
publisher = {Springer Nature},
reportid = {DKFZ-2025-01827},
pages = {32232},
year = {2025},
abstract = {Background Cancer is one of the main causes of a high
burden of disease and one of the strongest contributors to
earlier mortality among lower socioeconomic groups in
Germany. Therefore, studying socio-economic inequalities in
cancer incidence is of high relevance from a public-health
and health-equity lens. The aim of this study was to examine
in more depth time trends in socioeconomic inequalities in
cancer incidence and the related potential for reducing the
incidence of specific cancers across Germany. Methods We
used epidemiologic data from the Centre for Cancer Registry
Data at the Robert Koch Institute and official population
statistics for Germany from 2008 to 2019. To analyse trends
in socioeconomic inequalities in cancer incidence, we used
an ecological study design and linked the cancer registry
and population data with the German Index of Socioeconomic
Deprivation at district level. We calculated standardised
cancer incidence rates for the most common cancers by
area-level socioeconomic deprivation and estimated the Slope
and Relative Index of Inequality (SII, RII) to determine the
extent of area-level socioeconomic inequalities in the risk
of cancer. In a what-if analysis, counterfactual scenarios
were used to calculate how much lower cancer incidence could
be if socioeconomic inequalities in incidence were reduced
or eliminated. Results Due to less favourable trends of
cancer incidence in more deprived areas, socioeconomic
inequalities in cancer incidence has widened to the
detriment of residents in highly deprived areas. This was
observed for all cancers combined and for several common
cancers such as stomach, colorectal and lung cancer among
both women and men. In 2017-19, total cancer incidence was
$18\%$ (women: RII 1,18) and $49\%$ (men: RII 1,49) higher
in the most than in the least deprived area. Reverse
inequalities were observed for skin melanoma in both sexes
and female breast cancer, the lowest incidence being among
residents of highly deprived districts. For 2017-19, the
what-if analysis showed that the annual number of newly
diagnosed cancers cases would be 9,100-76,000 cases fewer if
the socioeconomic gap in cancer incidence between districts
could be narrowed or eliminated. Conclusions In Germany,
socioeconomic inequalities in cancer incidence have widened
in recent decades. Tackling cancer risks in deprived areas
could reduce those inequalities and the burden of cancer
overall. Our study emphasises the growing importance of
structural approaches in cancer prevention for reducing
health inequalities in Germany.},
keywords = {Humans / Germany: epidemiology / Neoplasms: epidemiology /
Incidence / Female / Male / Socioeconomic Factors /
Registries / Middle Aged / Aged / Adult / Health Status
Disparities / Area-level socioeconomic inequalities (Other)
/ Deprivation (Other) / GISD (Other) / Germany (Other) /
Social determinants (Other) / Trends cancer incidence
(Other)},
cin = {M110},
ddc = {600},
cid = {I:(DE-He78)M110-20160331},
pnm = {319H - Addenda (POF4-319H)},
pid = {G:(DE-HGF)POF4-319H},
typ = {PUB:(DE-HGF)16},
pubmed = {pmid:40890381},
doi = {10.1038/s41598-025-17859-5},
url = {https://inrepo02.dkfz.de/record/304287},
}