Descriptive epidemiology of cancer in Chile: 1973-78.

Review of detailed Chilean cancer mortality data for 1973-78 reveals that gastric cancer overshadows all other sites, with Chile second in the world in age-adjusted mortality rate. An excess of male deaths is seen for all cancer sites combined except in 2 age groups, i.e., 30-39 and 40-49 years, in which more female deaths occur. Stomach, lung, and esophageal cancers show a male:female ratio up to 4.7. Females experience higher mortality than males from gallbladder cancer; Chile has the highest death rate in the world from this cancer and also from other gallbladder diseases. In addition, Chile also has the highest death rate in the world for cancer of the cervix. An excess of female deaths is seen for colorectal cancer, whereas figures for cancer of the pancreas reveal only a slight excess of male deaths. This varied picture makes Chile an excellent setting in which one can study the epidemiology of cancer sites.