Abstract
Geographical variation in the standardized years of potential life lost ratio (SYPLR) in women aged 20-74 dying from breast cancer has been mapped by local authority district in England and Wales and compared with the variation as described by the standardized mortality ratio (SMR). The geographical distribution of areas of low and high SMRs is similar to that observed some 15 years earlier, showing an increase from north to south. In contrast, the pattern of SYPLRs shows a less obvious trend. Years of life lost because of breast cancer mortality were particularly high in eight of the 401 county districts (SYPLR 1.22-1.48) and particularly low in nine (0.60-0.86). Mapping SYPLRs for breast cancer gives a different pattern from mapping SMRs, and one which is possibly more appropriate for targeting resources in circumstances in which death at younger age will have major social consequences. Care is required in interpreting maps indicating high and low rates in the presence of multiple comparisons. However, the range of values observed is suggestive of the need to investigate districts with contrasting values of SYPLR with respect to the inter-relationships between sociodemographic characteristics, duration of symptoms, clinical presentation and treatment efficacy.
This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution
Access options
Subscribe to this journal
Receive 24 print issues and online access
$259.00 per year
only $10.79 per issue
Buy this article
- Purchase on Springer Link
- Instant access to full article PDF
Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout
Similar content being viewed by others
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Yuen, P., Haybittle, J. & Machin, D. Geographical variation in the standardized years of potential life lost ratio (SYPLR) in women dying from malignancies of the breast in England and Wales. Br J Cancer 75, 1069–1074 (1997). https://doi.org/10.1038/bjc.1997.182
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/bjc.1997.182
This article is cited by
-
Geographical variation in breast cancer survival rates for women diagnosed in England between 1992 and 1994
British Journal of Cancer (2004)