CANCER REGISTRATION IN MADRAS METROPOLITAN TUMOR REGISTRY, INDIA

The Madras Metropolitan Tumour Registry (MMTR) was established at the Cancer Institute (WIA), Madras, in 1981-1982. Cancer is not a notifiab le disease in India, and hence registration per force has to be active . The MMTR covers a population of 3.8 million. Mortality statistics ar e obtained from the Department of Vital Statistics, death registers in hospitals and by active follow-up of registered cases. A total of 28 980 (13 012 males, 15 968 females) cases were registered during 1982-1 991. The average annual world-standardised age-adjusted rates (AAR) pe r 100 000 are 104.2 in males and 129.0 in females. The lifetime cumula tive risk (0-74 years) of cancer in Madras is one in eight. Stomach (A AR:15.2) is the leading site of malignancy among males, followed by ca ncers of the lung (AAR:9.8) and oral cavity (AAR:9.4). Among females, cancer of the cervix (AAR:44.0) is the commonest, followed by breast ( AAR:21.7) and oral cavity cancers (AAR:9.8).