Cancer incidence in the Ecuadorian Amazon: A retrospective study (1990–2019)
4 affiliations
- 1Department of Epidemiology and Global Health, Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden
- 2Instituto de Epidemiología y Salud Comunitaria “Manuel Amunárriz”, Hospital Franklin Tello, Nuevo Rocafuerte, Orellana, Ecuador
- 3Quito Cancer Registry, Sociedad de Lucha contra el Cáncer, SOLCA, Quito, Ecuador
- 4Department of Statistical Methods, Zaragoza University, Zaragoza, Spain
Abstract
Background: There is a scarcity of cancer studies in the Amazon region. This study aimed to analyse trends in cancer incidence within the Ecuadorian Amazon between 1990 and 2019, identifying the most prevalent cancer types and assessing their provincial and temporal distribution. Methods: A retrospective analysis was conducted using data from the Quito population-based cancer registry, focusing on patients whose habitual residence was in the Amazonian provinces of Sucumbíos, Orellana, Napo, and Pastaza. Age- and sex-standardised incidence rates were calculated, employing Segi’s world standard population as the reference. Results: A total of 4,881 cancer cases were identified, revealing a 357% increase in the number of recorded cancer cases from the first to the last study period. Among men, the most common cancer types were stomach, prostate, and non-melanoma skin cancers, whereas in women, cervical, breast, and thyroid cancers predominated. Notably, there was a particularly high increase in prostate and breast cancer cases. Conclusions: The findings indicate an important increase in recorded cancer cases and age-standardized incidence rates in the Ecuadorian Amazon, highlighting the urgent need to enhance healthcare infrastructure and cancer registry systems in the region. Targeted prevention and early detection programmes tailored to the specific needs of this population are urgently needed.
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BibTeX
@article{sebastian2026cancer,
title = {{Cancer incidence in the Ecuadorian Amazon: A retrospective study (1990–2019)}},
author = {Miguel San Sebastián and Osvaldo Fonseca-Rodriguez and Wilmer Tarupi and Sara Castel-Feced},
journal = {PLOS One},
year = {2026},
month = oct,
doi = {10.1371/journal.pone.0359707},
url = {https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0359707},
note = {CC BY 4.0},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - Cancer incidence in the Ecuadorian Amazon: A retrospective study (1990–2019)
AU - Miguel San Sebastián
AU - Osvaldo Fonseca-Rodriguez
AU - Wilmer Tarupi
AU - Sara Castel-Feced
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/10/05
JO - PLOS One
DO - 10.1371/journal.pone.0359707
UR - https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0359707
AB - Background: There is a scarcity of cancer studies in the Amazon region. This study aimed to analyse trends in cancer incidence within the Ecuadorian Amazon between 1990 and 2019, identifying the most prevalent cancer types and assessing their provincial and temporal distribution. Methods: A retrospective analysis was conducted using data from the Quito population-based cancer registry, focusing on patients whose habitual residence was in the Amazonian provinces of Sucumbíos, Orellana, Napo, and Pastaza. Age- and sex-standardised incidence rates were calculated, employing Segi’s world standard population as the reference. Results: A total of 4,881 cancer cases were identified, revealing a 357% increase in the number of recorded cancer cases from the first to the last study period. Among men, the most common cancer types were stomach, prostate, and non-melanoma skin cancers, whereas in women, cervical, breast, and thyroid cancers predominated. Notably, there was a particularly high increase in prostate and breast cancer cases. Conclusions: The findings indicate an important increase in recorded cancer cases and age-standardized incidence rates in the Ecuadorian Amazon, highlighting the urgent need to enhance healthcare infrastructure and cancer registry systems in the region. Targeted prevention and early detection programmes tailored to the specific needs of this population are urgently needed.
SN - 1932-6203
ER -