Cancer incidence in Japan in 1975 and changes of epidemiological features for cancer in Osaka.

The cancer incidence for all of Japan has been estimated for 1975 with the use of data accumulated for 2 or 3 years from the cancer registries participating in the Research Group. Stomach cancer incidence has decreased by 30% in Osaka from 1963 to 1977. Analysis of the histological distribution of this carcinoma demonstrated that 1) the incidence of the so-called "intestinal" type decreased more rapidly than that of the "diffuse" type, and 2) the intestinal type of carcinoma had a more favorable survival rate than has the diffuse type. However, the survival rate of stomach cancer in Osaka increased by 2.6 and 0.7% in males and females, respectively, during 1970-74 compared with that of 1965-70, probably because of early diagnosis and improved treatment. Correlation between age-adjusted cancer morbidity and mortality rates was observed in 30 site-sex samples in 11 districts in Osaka. Only 13 samples (43%) showed statistically significant correlations. Of 12 site-sex samples having survival rates of 20% or more, only one showed significant correlation.