Oncology secrets of suddenly deceased individuals

Overview

Malignant neoplasms represent the second most common cause of death in men and women in the Czech Republic after cardiovascular diseases. The incidence, prevalence and mortality is recorded in the Czech National Cancer Registry. The most recent data available is from 2013, in this year there were 81 541 patients newly diagnosed with cancer and 26 944 people died of cancer. From a long-term perspective, the incidence of neoplasms is increasing and the mortality is decreasing.

In the Institute of Forensic Medicine in Brno there were 480 cases of newly reported malignant tumors during the period 2010-2015, which were not known before the autopsy. 71.4 % of these cases were men and 28.6 % were women.

In 212 cases the tumor was advanced and was the immediate cause of death. The total number of deadly cases in men was 149, the age average was 66.2 years. The most common malignant tumor leading to death was of bronchi and lungs (39.6 %), large intestine (9.4 %), pancreas (6.7 %), liver (4.7 %), stomach (4 %) and prostatic gland (4 %). In women the total number of deaths resulting from malignant tumor was 63, the age average was 72.6 years. The most common malignant tumor leading to death was of bronchi and lungs (33.3%), ovary (11.1 %), large intestine (9.5 %), gall bladder (6.3 %) and kidney (6.3 %).

Some of the autopsy findings are shown on the photographs at the end of the article.

Keywords:
malignant tumor – cancer mortality – sudden death – autopsy findings