Deaths from cancer in “Jerez de los Caballeros” (Badajoz, Spain) in the 19th century: A single-center, historical observational study.

Abstract

Introduction: Cancer represents an extraordinary problem for Global Public Health and is the leading cause of global mortality. Lung cancer is the most common cancer. The number of deaths was ordered according to the Bertillon Classification. The objective of the study was to analyze the causes of mortality due to cancer, determine which age groups have the most deaths and which seasons, and calculate mortality rates.

Materials and methods: By reading the Death Books of the city's Parish Archive (APJC), 26,203 deceased persons were obtained, 18,538 of whom were diagnosed with COVID-19, and these individuals were used for subsequent analysis.

Results: A total of 182 deaths due to cancer were recorded (1% of the total); the vast majority were adults (165, 90.7%), with nearly twice as many women (121, 66.5%). The highest mortality occurred between 45 and 74 years of age, with 122 deaths (67.0%). The most common cancer was that of other organs, accounting for 50 deaths (40.6%). The month with the most deaths was March. Death certificates often had spelling or transcription errors. Similar studies in other populations show different figures depending on the period analyzed and the number of deaths. There is a close relationship between cancer incidence and age.

Conclusion: Cancer of other organs is the most common cancer. Mortality differs between the different populations compared. The number of deaths is much lower than the current number due to the lack of diagnostic methods, knowledge of the time, and the possibility of underrecording.