One in two men and about 40 percent of women develop cancer in the course of their lives and every year about 220,000 people die as a result of cancer. In this context, systematic monitoring of cancer incidence is of great social importance. Comprehensive and complete cancer registration is crucial to facilitate further progress in the prevention, early detection and treatment of cancer.

As the clinical-epidemiological cancer registry of the state of Bremen, we process area-wide inpatient and outpatient data on the occurrence, treatment and courses of tumor diseases. These data are regularly analyzed and evaluated. Not only patients but also treating physicians, health insurance providers as well as political decision makers benefit from this. Therefore, the registry is also a firm partner of science and involved in numerous important studies.

Every year, almost 4,200 Bremen residents are newly diagnosed with cancer. With a population of about 680,000, the crude ratio in Bremen is about 610 cases per 100,000 inhabitants. In addition, there are about 1,200 further patients diagnosed with non-melanotic skin tumors. These tumors are characterized by a very good prognosis and are therefore not counted in cancer reporting according to international practice.

The risk of developing cancer increases with age. The mean age of onset is 71 years for women and 72 years for men. Less than 10 percent of cancer cases occur before the age of 50. The chance of surviving cancer depends strongly on the type of cancer. Regarding all cancers, the proportion of survivors five years after diagnosis is approximately 60 percent. Cancer is the second most common cause of death in Bremen with about 2,000 deaths annually.

The new newsletter from the Bremen Cancer Registry can be downloaded here. 

Due to the new Cancer Registry Reporting Compensation Agreement, the expense allowance has increased as of February 1, 2024. Click here to read more.