INCREASING INCIDENCE OF ADENOCARCINOMAS AND CARCINOID-TUMORS OF THE SMALL-INTESTINE IN ADULTS

Malignant neoplasms of the small intestine are relatively rare and hav e received little study, We report on trends in the age-adjusted, sex- , and race-specific incidence rates of adenocarcinomas and carcinoid t umors of the small intestine in the United States from 1973 through 19 91, Data were derived from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Res ults Program of the National Cancer Institute, There were statisticall y significant increases in the incidence rates of both adenocarcinomas and carcinoid tumors during the time frame of the study, Rates increa sed most dramatically in black males, with 2- and 4-fold increases in adenocarcinomas and carcinoid tumors, respectively, The only rates tha t remained relatively unchanged were those of adenocarcinoma among whi te females. It remains to be determined if changing environmental fact ors are important causes of these observed trends, If environmental fa ctors are involved in the etiology of small intestine cancers, analyti c studies conducted while the disease is increasing in incidence may p rovide useful insights.