[Female genital and breast cancers in France: geographic distribution and estimation of incidence].

The aim of the study was to assess the incident number of female breast and genital tract cancers for the whole of France. The study focused on the 1983-1987 period and on 9.1% of the French population. The incident number of female breast and genital tract cancers was estimated for each site and for each of eight French administrative regions covered by a cancer registry qualified through the National Committee of Registries (Calvados, Côte-d'Or, Doubs, Hérault, Isère, Bas-Rhin, Somme, Tarn). Information on mortality rates was available at a regional level as well as at a nationwide level. The method estimated the national incidence rate modelizing the regional age-specific incidence rate as a function of corresponding mortality rate. Breast cancer was the leading site with 25,277 new cases per year while female genital tract cancers affected about 13,856 women. The cancer risk, estimated in using cumulative rate 0-74 years, was assessed at 7.1% for breast and at 1.2%, 1.4% and 1.1% for cervix uteri, corpus uteri and ovary respectively. Breast and genital tract cancers constituted 49% of the whole of cancers in women. Observed breast incidence rate was stable through French regions. There were pronounced contrasts in cervix uteri cancer risk, and some french regions displayed a high risk close to the observed European maxima. Interregional contrasts in risk of the other genital tract cancers were less striking. This study emphasized the importance of female breast and genital tract cancers for public health in France. The main aim of the French Cancer Registries Network is to provide a comprehensive description of cancer risk in France and to produce pertinent projection to 2005 horizon, combining the present data and the already accumulated 1988-1992 data.