ESTIMATES OF THE WORLDWIDE INCIDENCE OF 18 MAJOR CANCERS IN 1985

The annual incidence rates (crude and age-standardized) and numbers of new cases of 18 different cancers have been estimated for the year 19 85 in 24 areas of the world. The total number of new cancer cases (exc luding non-melanoma skin cancer) was 7.6 million, 52% of which occur i n developing countries. The most common cancer in the world today is l ung cancer, accounting for 17.6% of cancers of men worldwide, and 22% of cancers in men in the developed countries. Stomach cancer is now se cond in frequency (it was slightly more common than lung cancer in 198 0) and breast cancer-by far the most important cancer of women (19.1% of the total)-is third. There are very large differences in the relati ve importance of the different cancers by world area. The major cancer s of developed countries (other than the 3 already named) are cancers of the colon-rectum and prostate, and, in developing countries, cancer s of the cervix uteri, mouth and pharynx, liver and oesophagus. The im plications of these patterns for cancer control, and specifically prev ention, are discussed. Tobacco smoking and chewing are almost certainl y the major preventable causes of cancer today. (C) 1993 Wiley-Liss, I nc.