Cancer incidence among Turkish, Chilean, and North African first-generation immigrants in Sweden compared with residents in the countries of origin and native Swedes.

We compared the incidence of cancer among Turkish, Chilean, and North African (NA) first-generation immigrants with residents in their countries of origin and native Swedes. The Swedish Family-Cancer Database was used to calculate age-standardized incidence rates. We compared the age-standardized incidence rates for immigrants with those in the Cancer Incidence in Five Continents report. All-cancer rates were decreased in Turks (men) and Chileans and increased in NAs compared with the residents in their countries of origin. The rates of stomach cancer in Chileans and lung cancer in Turkish men were decreased, whereas Turkish women had an increased rate of lung cancer. Furthermore, the rate of prostate cancer in Turks and NAs and nervous system tumors in NA men and Turkish women were increased. Chileans had higher rates of stomach and testicular cancers and lower rates of colon cancer, nervous system tumors, and non-Hodgkin's lymphoma compared with Swedes. Higher rates of male lung cancer and female thyroid cancer, and lower rates of male rectal and kidney cancers and nervous system tumors, and female stomach and colon cancers were observed among Turks compared with Swedes. The differences observed in all-cancer rates among immigrants were mostly attributable to decreased rates of stomach and lung cancers or an increased rate of prostate cancer after migration. We observed increased rates of colon, breast, and nervous system cancers after migration, whereas the rates of testicular, kidney and thyroid cancers, and non-Hodgkin's lymphoma remained unchanged.