The history of cancer registration in Japan: contribution of Dr Mitsuo Segi.

The first survey of cancer incidence in Miyagi prefecture with a population of about 1.7 million was conducted in 1951-1953 by Segi and his colleagues. The report was the third such study that could be compared with other studies in the world. Segi established the Miyagi cancer registry in 1957, which has continued until now, and the data were periodically published in the monographs entitled Cancer Incidence in Five Continents published by IARC. Segi helped to found the International Association of Cancer Registry (IACR) and also organized a national committee in Japan. Segi's scientific background related to cancer statistics is briefly introduced.