Cancer mortality in Europe, 1990-1994, and an overview of trends from 1955to 1994

Mortality data, abstracted from the WHO database, are presented in tabular form for 26 cancer sites or groups of sites, plus total cancer mortality, i n 35 European countries during the period 1990-1994. Trends in mortality ar e also given in graphical form for 24 major countries over the period 1955- 1994. In most western European countries total cancer mortality was-for the first time-moderately downwards in the early 1990s. Such favourable trends included some decline in lung cancer mortality for males, the persistent d ecline in stomach cancer for both sexes, and of cervical cancer for women, as well as some decline in breast and colorectal cancers, plus other neopla sms (testis, lymphoid neoplasms), whose treatment has further improved over the last few years. However, cancer mortality was still upwards in a few s outhern and eastern European countries, including Hungary and Poland, where total cancer mortality rates in middle-aged males are now the highest ever registered in Europe. The favourable trends in western Europe over the rec ent years are similar to those observed in the U.S.A. (C) 1999 Elsevier Sci ence Ltd. All rights reserved.