Trends in incidentie van kanker in Zuidoost-Noord-Brabant en Noord-Limburg in de periode 1975-1986; bericht uit de IKZ/SOOZ-kankerregistratie

- Trends in the incidence of cancer have been determined in the Southeast of the Netherlands from 1975 to 1986 inclusive by means of the regional SOOZ cancer registry. Age-adjusted registration rates of cancer in males rose rather steeply from more than 371 per 10⁵ men-years to 424 in 1982-3 and fell thereafter to 407 per 10⁵ in 1986. A similar changing pattern was seen in cancer of the lung, larynx, prostate and kidney and possibly also in cancer of the head and neck. The incidence of colorectal cancer had skin melanoma increased while that of cancer of the stomach fell. Age-adjusted incidence of cancer in females rose steadily from 266 to 290 per 10⁵ woman-years. A steady increase was observed for cancer of the lung, breast, bladder and melanoma and temporarily for cancer of the kidney. The incidence of cancer of the stomach and gallbladder fell continuously. These changes in incidence generally corresponded with trends in cancer mortality as registered with the Central Bureau of Statistics. Bias from changes in data collection and coding appears to be negligible, but a certain influence on the registration rates from the markedly increased number of consultants managing cancer patients is likely. Contrasting trends in male and female rates of cancer of the airways illustrate the marked changes in smoking paterns since the sixties.