MMC Cancer Registry Data Report

Figure 1.

MMC Five-year Analytic Cancer Case Volume

Over the years 2017 through 2021, the MMC cancer registry accessioned a growing number of analytic cancer cases. MMC, as part of the MaineHealth Cancer Care Network, treats the majority of new cancer cases in northern New England.

NOTE on 2020 data: With the coronavirus pandemic, there was a sharp decrease in the number of newly diagnosed cancer cases at MMC.

2021 MMC Cancer Case Incidence

There were 4,428 accessioned cases at MMC in 2021; 3,833 of these cases were analytic. Analytic cases reflect patients who were diagnosed and/or received part or all their first course of treatment at MMC.

2021 MMC Top Ten Sites of Analytic Cancer Cases

The 10 cancers with the largest number of cases in 2021 were cancer of the breast, prostate, lung and bronchus, uterine corpus, melanoma of the skin, urinary bladder, thyroid, kidney and renal pelvis, colon, and pancreas.

2021 MMC Distribution of Analytic Cancer Cases by Body System

Percentages Based on 3,833 Total Volume

Table 3.

2021 MMC Leading Sites of New Cancer Cases by Sex

The rate of new cancer cases diagnosed and/or treated at MMC in 2021 was higher in females than males, with Breast Cancer topping the chart for females at 32% and Prostate Cancer topping the chart for males at 29% of diagnosed malignancies. Fifty-five percent of total new cancer cases were diagnosed in females and 45% of new cancer cases were diagnosed in males.

Male Female

Figure 3.

2021 MMC Distribution of Analytic Cancer Cases by Age at Diagnosis and Sex

2021 MMC Cancer Cases by Age

Of all analytic accessioned cases in 2021, 60% of new cancer cases were diagnosed in people between the ages of 70 and 89. This chart shows that for most cancers, increasing age is the most significant risk factor.

2021 MMC Distribution of Analytic Cancer Cases by Race

2021 MMC Cancer Cases by Stage

Cancer staging is the process of determining how much cancer is in the body and where it is located. Staging describes the severity of an individual's cancer, based on the magnitude of the original (primary) tumor and the extent cancer has spread in the body. All staging completed at MMC is based on The American Joint Committee on Cancer (AJCC) standards.