CANCER INCIDENCE IN HIROSHIMA AND NAGASAKI, JAPAN, 1958-1987

The Hiroshima and Nagasaki tumour registries, which have been in opera tion since 1958, are among the few population-based cancer registries in Japan. This analysis evaluated cancer incidence in Hiroshima and Na gasaki between 1958 and 1987. The overall age-adjusted (World Populati on Standard) cancer incidence has increased from 217 to 301 per 100 00 0 among males, and from 176 to 197 per 100 000 among females during th e first 30 years of cancer registration. The most recent rates are int ermediate to rates in other countries. Despite a gradual decrease, gas tric cancer remained the most common malignancy among males and female s throughout the surveillance period, accounting for 24% of all cancer s by the late 1980s. The rate of liver cancer has increased dramatical ly among males during the past 20 years, with a 2-fold increase in inc idence in the past 10 years alone. The populations of Hiroshima and Na gasaki now have among the highest rates of liver cancer in the world. Breast cancer incidence in Hiroshima and Nagasaki, in contrast, is amo ng the lowest in the world, although incidence rates have doubled sinc e the 1960s. Other common malignancies include cancers of the lung, co lon and rectum among males and cancers of the colon, cervix and lung a mong females.