Site-specific cancer mortality trends among Kentucky residents: comparison of 1971 to 1975 with 1976 to 1980.

We compared the average annual age-adjusted, sex- and site-specific cancer mortality rates among Kentuckians during two five-year time periods: 1971 to 1975 and 1976 to 1980. Lung cancer alone showed a statistically significant increase in mortality rates for both sexes, but significant increases were also found for skin cancer and leukemias among men and for pancreatic cancer and lymphomas among women. Significant decreases in mortality rates were observed for cancer of the rectum and stomach in both sexes, lymphomas among men, and leukemias and liver and uterine (corpus and cervix) cancer among women. Increased lung cancer mortality rates occurred for all age groups of women aged 35 and over, but in men, decreased lung cancer mortality rates were observed for ages 35 to 49 and increased rates only after age 50. All age groups of women experienced substantial declines in cervical cancer mortality rates. Without the dramatic increase in lung cancer mortality during this period, overall cancer mortality rates would have shown almost no change among Kentucky men and would have decreased among Kentucky women.