Risk indicators of breast and cervical cancer on ecologic and individual levels.

Ecologic and individual risk indicators were derived from the population censuses of Finland Cancer Registry. The years covered in the study were 1955-1974 for the ecologic analysis and 1971-1975 for the analysis on individuals. The incidence of both diseases was high in an urban environment with high standard of living. The individuals with high risk of breast cancer were of high socioeconomic status and were well educated, whereas cervical cancer was common among women of low socioeconomic status and with less education. Conceptually similar indicators used on both the ecologic and individual levels characterize different aspects of risk; for example, a woman with a low standard of living in a well-to-do environment has a high risk of cervical cancer.