The accuracy of local death certificates in cancer of the lung and stomach.

The study analysed the accuracy of local death certificates (LDC) for patients with lung cancer (424 males, 36 females) and stomach cancer (99 males, 62 females) who died between 1979 and 1984. All the diagnoses were confirmed histologically. For a subgroup of lung cancer (males), we also evaluated the national death certificate (NDC) and the correspondence of LDC vs. NDC. The reliability of LDC was quite poor. This paper examines the different reasons for the underevaluation of cancer in LDC and the variables which modify the accuracy of cause of death on the death certificate.