CANCER INCIDENCE IN MIGRANTS TO NEW-SOUTH-WALES (AUSTRALIA) FROM THE MIDDLE-EAST, 1972-91

The incidence of cancer in migrants to New South Wales (NSW) from Cypr us, Egypt, Iran, Iraq, Israel, Lebanon, Syria, and Turkey has been com pared with that in the Australian-born population using data from the NSW Central Cancer Registry for 1972-91. Age-standardized incidence ra tes showed overall cancer incidence to be less common in migrants from each Middle Eastern country than in the Australian-born. There was a clear pattern of generally low rates for cancers of the mouth and phar ynx, esophagus, colon and rectum, lung (men only), ovary, prostate and testis, and melanoma. Cancers which tended to be more common in migra nts were nasopharynx, stomach (women only), liver (men only), gallblad der (chiefly in women), bladder (men only), and thyroid. Breast cancer did not show a uniform pattern among migrant groups, rates being high in the Egyptian-born but low in Lebanese-born women. The overall low incidence of cancers related to tobacco and alcohol, and to a 'high fa t, low fiber' diet, emphasizes the potential role of preventable lifes tyle factors in the burden of cancer in Australia.