Mapping in epidemiological studies and control of cancer: experiences from Slovakia.

This article reviews our experience with the use of the cancer atlas of Slovakia, published in 1989 which presented simultaneously the cancer incidence and mortality rates derived from national population-based cancer registries. Contrary to all expectations, the role of the environmental pollution was confirmed only for nonmelanoma skin cancer and arsenic exposure. Valuable information was obtained also for the study of dynamics of cancer distribution, which revealed a shift in the incidence of stomach cancer to the east and its replacement with colorectal cancer in the western part of the country. Of enormous importance for the comprehensive cancer care and control is the knowledge of incidence and mortality rates at the level of individual districts.