Cancer Mortality Rates, U.S. and Canada

[Andy Hull <hull@mail.sep.bnl.gov>]

Since the several exchanges on Cancer Incidence and Mortality Rates started
with a claim of their increasing in Canada, with the inference that this was
or might be related to radiation, the following data from Cancer Rates and
Risks, 2nd Edition, USDHEW (1984) and 3rd Edition USDHHS (1985) may be relevant:

Country         Years         Overall Cancer Mortality
                                      (per 10E5)
                                Male            Female
Canada          1956-57         133.9           114.4
U.S.(white)     1956-57         139.6           111.1

Canada          1966-67         146.8           109.0
U.S. (white)    1966-67         146.8           104.6

Canada          1976-77         211.2           135.3
U.S. (white)    1976-77         213.6           135.3

Conclusions:
There has been no significant difference between U.S. and Canadian overall
cancer mortality rates.

As has been pointed out by others already, the increases over these three
decades (and continuing) are almost all due to smoking related increases in
mortality from lung cancer.  Note the larger mortality rates, male versus
female, that the female rates increased much less dramatically, but that as
smoking by the latter increased, they started to catch up with the males. 

Several individuals have referred to incidence rates, but as is well known
to epidemiologist (I'm not one) incidence figures are very tricky, being
among other things subject to an ascertainment bias. 

Andy Hull
SEP-BNL
Upton, N.Y. 11973
Ph.  516-344-4210
Fax. 516-344-3105