Cancer mortality and mortality trends in Henan, China, 1974-1985.

Promotion of cancer control programs requires accurate data on cancer incidence and mortality from population-based cancer registries. Currently, there are 12 institutions that register cancer deaths in the respective 12 counties and cities. The data thus obtained show that cancer of the esophagus, stomach, and liver in both sexes and cervical cancer in females are the leading causes of all cancer deaths. During the period of 1974-1985, marked changes have taken place in the Henan province in cancer mortality rates of certain sites. Some description and discussion of these changes are presented in this paper.