Estimates of the worldwide incidence of eighteen major cancers in 1985

The annual incidence rates (crude and age‐standardized) and numbers of new cases of 18 different cancers have been estimated for the year 1985 in 24 areas of the world. The total number of new cancer cases (excluding non‐melanoma skin cancer) was 7.6 million, 52% of which occur in developing countries. The most common cancer in the world today is lung cancer, accounting for 17.6% of cancers of men worldwide, and 22% of cancers in men in the developed countries. Stomach cancer is now second in frequency (it was slightly more common than lung cancer in 1980) and breast cancer—by far the most important cancer of women (19.1% of the total)—is third. There are very large differences in the relative importance of the different cancers by world area. The major cancers of developed countries (other than the 3 already named) are cancers of the colon‐rectum and prostate, and, in developing countries, cancers of the cervix uteri, mouth and pharynx, liver and oesophagus. The implications of these patterns for cancer control, and specifically prevention, are discussed. Tobacco smoking and chewing are almost certainly the major prevent able causes of cancer today.

[1]  D. Parkin,et al.  Cancer in Kampala, Uganda, in 1989–91: Changes in incidence in the era of aids , 1993, International journal of cancer.

[2]  D. Parkin,et al.  Lung cancer: worldwide variation in occurrence and proportion attributable to tobacco use , 1993 .

[3]  B. Bergman Psychosocial issues in the treatment of patients with lung cancer , 1992 .

[4]  C. Murray,et al.  Adult mortality: levels patterns and causes. , 1992 .

[5]  D. Parkin,et al.  Patterns of Cancer in Five Continents , 1990, British Journal of Cancer.

[6]  A. Hanai Cancer incidence and incidence rates in Japan in 1985--estimates based on data from seven population-based cancer registries. Research Group for Population-based Cancer Registration in Japan. , 1990, Japanese journal of clinical oncology.

[7]  J. Estève,et al.  Cancer in the European Community and its member states. , 1990, European journal of cancer.

[8]  I. Suh,et al.  Incidence and survival of cancer in Kangwha County (1983-1987). , 1989, Yonsei medical journal.

[9]  D. Parkin,et al.  The international incidence of childhood cancer , 1988, IARC scientific publications.

[10]  D M Parkin,et al.  Estimates of the worldwide frequency of sixteen major cancers in 1980 , 1988, International journal of cancer.

[11]  A. Lopez,et al.  Global and regional mortality patterns by cause of death in 1980. , 1986, International journal of epidemiology.

[12]  D. Parkin,et al.  Cancer occurrence in developing countries , 1986 .

[13]  P C Prorok,et al.  Evaluation of screening programmes for gynaecological cancer. , 1985, British Journal of Cancer.

[14]  D. Parkin,et al.  Cancer in Iraq: Seven years' data from the Baghdad tumour registry , 1984, International journal of cancer.

[15]  A. Rifai,et al.  PRESENT STATUS OF NUCLEAR MEDICINE AT KING FAISAL SPECIALIST HOSPITAL AND RESEARCH CENTRE , RIYADH , SAUDI ARABIA , 1984 .

[16]  C. Muir,et al.  Estimates of the worldwide frequency of twelve major cancers. , 1984, Bulletin of the World Health Organization.