GEOGRAPHIC-VARIATION OF BREAST-CANCER IN TAIWAN - INTERNATIONAL AND MIGRANT COMPARISON

Background: Breast cancer is increasing rapidly in Taiwan. A geographi c variation, international comparison and migrant study has become ess ential for the development of hypotheses to account for this. Material s and Methods: Age-adjusted mortality rates of breast cancer patients from all precincts and townships of Taiwan were calculated for a geogr aphic variation study, and summarized for an inter-national comparison . Age-specific and adjusted incidence rates of breast cancer in Taipei City were used for a migrant study. Results: Age-adjusted mortality f rom breast cancer was highest in the Taipei and lowest in aboriginal a l eas. Oriental countries have significantly lower mortality rates fro m breast cancer for the incidence of breast cancer among Chinese women , and the difference between younger and older age groups has increase d together with the degree of westernization in residential areas. Chi nese women were found to have lower incidence rates than white women o f the same area. We concluded that diet, reproductive behavior, and he reditary factors are involved in the development of breast cancer.