Canadian cancer incidence

[LEIDHOLDT.EDWIN@FORUM.VA.GOV]

The Canadian cancer incidence data does show a significant increase
in males with time.  However, the text explains the reasons for the
increase:
 
"Trends of incidence and mortality rates for all cancer sites combined
have remained relatively stable since 1984 among women, as the
average annual percent changes for these rates are close to zero
(Table 10). However, among men, incidence rates for all cancer sites
combined are rising slightly due to the sharp increase in incidence of
prostate cancer."
 
"The rapid increases in incidence rates throughout the 1970s displayed
in Figure 2.1 largely reflect improved registration of new cases during
this period in several provincial registries.2,26 Registration levels
since
1981 have generally stabilized due to increasing consistency of cancer
reporting procedures across Canada."
 
Thus, the large increase in incidence rates in males throughout the 1970s
was an artifact of incomplete but increasingly complete data collection.
 
Ed Leidholdt
Leidholdt.Edwin@forum.va.gov
 
The above opinions are entirely my own.