[Study of the geographical pathology of laryngeal, bladder and childhood tumors in the Province of Turin].

A previous report has shown that in the non-metropolitan areas of the province of Torino the incidence of cancer of the larynx in men during the period 1965-1969, although lower than in the town of Torino and its suburbs, was 3-6 times higher than in Great Britain, Norway, Sweden and Denmark. In the present study the distribution of these cancers was investigated in the 12 ecological areas and/or subareas forming the non-metropolitan areas of the province. A similar study for bladder cancer in adult men and all cancers (including leukaemias) in children, is also reported. In subareas 36, 37 and 42 of ecological area 01 (i.e., located NW of the capital and its suburbs) as well as in area 02 (located North of the province, around the town of Ivrea) a significant excess of laryngeal cancers have been diagnosed in adult men during the period 1965-1969. Cancer of the bladder was found in excess in men residing in subareas 37 and 43 of area 01 (geographically related to the town of Ciriè, where an epidemic of bladder cancer was recognized among workers of a chemical factory where 2-naphthylamine and benzidine have been widely used in the past), as well as in men residing in area 02. In addition, laryngeal cancer was found in excess among residents in Balangero (where a large asbestos-chrysotilemine has been in operation for a long time) and adjacent towns (observed 12, expected 5.14, p less than 0.01). Bladder cancer was particularly frequent among residents in Ciriè and adjacent towns (19 cases vs. 9.18 expected, p less than 0.01) as well as in those residing in Ivrea and adjacent towns (24 vs. 14.61 expected, p less than 0.02). On the contrary, the whole area situated East and South of Torino and its suburbs seems to be a low-incidence area for both laryngeal and bladder cancer. For both tumor types the highest incidence was found in the town of Torino. Men residing in the 23 suburbs of Torino showed a high incidence of laryngeal cancer and a low incidence of bladder cancer. Cancers in children were fairly uniformly distributed throughout the whole province, including the capital.