CANCER INCIDENCE AMONG MORMONS AND NON-MORMONS IN UTAH (UNITED-STATES) 1971-85

We calculated age-adjusted incidence rates per 100,000 by religion (Mo rmon, non-Mormon) for Utah (United States) using the 49,182 cancer cas es occurring between 1971-85. For all causes of cancer, the rate in Ut ah for male members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS or Mormons) was about 24 percent less than the comparable US rat e. There was a 50-percent lower rate of cancers associated with cigare tte smoking among LDS men. Non-LDS (NLDS) men in Utah experienced an i ncidence of smoking-associated cancers slightly higher than other US m en. LDS men had an incidence of those cancers not associated with smok ing slightly lower than US men, and NLDS men had a 40-percent higher r ate than US men because of higher rates of melanoma and cancers of the lip and prostate gland. LDS women had an all-sites cancer rate 24 per cent below the comparable US rate, and a 60-percent lower rate of smok ing-associated cancers. The incidence of cancer not associated with sm oking was 20 percent lower for LDS women compared with US women and wa s the result of lower rates of cancers of the colon, breast, and uteri ne cervix. NLDS women had a 13-percent higher incidence of cancers not associated with smoking because of higher rates of cancers of the lip and breast.