TRENDS OF UROLOGIC CANCER INCIDENCE IN THE REPUBLIC OF BELARUS 
 
O.G. Sukonko, S.A. Krasny, A.A. Mashevsky, P.I. Moiseyev, Yu.I. Averkin 
N.N. Alexandrov National Cancer Centre of Belarus, Minsk 
 
 Background: Malignant neoplasms are the cause of death in 13.7% of general 
population mortality in the Republic of Belarus and rank second after blood circulation diseases; 
they are also second after circulatory disturbances in the pattern of primary disablement in Belarus’ 
population, accounting for 20.4%. Cancer-specific primary disablement in the population of 
employable age shows a pronounced tendency to increase. For the aforesaid reasons, malignant 
neoplasms present one of the major medicosocial problems. 
 Objectives and tasks: Evaluation of general urologic cancer incidence and 
investigation of distinctions in the distribution of urologic cancer patients by age, gender and place 
of residence to cope with the tasks of revealing reserves in reduction of mortality from malignant 
tumours of kidneys, urinary bladder and prostate. 
 Materials and methods: Data from Belarusian Cancer Registry. Descriptive 
epidemiology. The statistical analysis was performed using Statistica software package (version 6).  
 Results: The first step on the way to revealing reserves in cancer mortality decrease 
is the analysis of urologic cancer incidence with defining of geographical features of its prevalence, 
patient age and sex. From 2006 through 2010, the number of urologic cancer patients in the general 
population of newly diagnosed cancer patients in Belarus grew by 31% (from 4,568 to 5,991 cases). 
A total of 25,913 people fell ill with cancer of kidneys, urinary bladder and prostate over the past 5 
years. The number of renal cancer patients increased by 18.7%, of urinary bladder cancer by 9.1% 
over the 5 years. The largest number of new bladder cancer cases in 2010 was registered in Minsk 
(250), in other regions the number of new bladder cancer cases ranged from 129 (Mogilev Region) 
to 210 (Gomel Region). A considerable growth of prostatic cancer cases occurred over the 5 years. 
From 2006 through 2010 their number increased by 56.4%. The largest rise in the number of 
prostatic cancer patients was noted in Minsk Region and Minsk City, and the smallest in Brest and 
Grodno Regions. The incidence of kidney, bladder and prostate cancers begins to elevate at the age 
of 40 and reaches its peak at 70–75 years. An analysis was made of the pattern and trends of kidney, 
bladder and prostate cancer incidence in persons of employable age. The total number of 
employable age patients increased by 17% over the 5 years, accounting for 24% of the whole 
number of new urologic cancer cases in all age groups. The number of renal cancer patients of 
employable age (both sexes) grew by 15%, prostatic cancer — by 35%. 
 Conclusion: A continuous growth of kidney, bladder and prostate cancer incidence is 
observed in Belarus. Urologic malignant tumours are, as a rule, the lot of old age patients. However, 
this pathology is not infrequent in persons of employable age. The results obtained are a basis for 
development of organizational activities in the field of secondary and tertiary prophylaxis to find 
reserves for declining urologic cancer mortality.