[A comparison between the results of cancer mortalities in 1972-1975 and in 1992-1994 in a rural area of Shanxi Province, China].

From Jan. 1995 to Jan. 1996, an investigation on the mortality of malignant tumours in three counties, Feng, Mei, Qishan, in Baoji area Shanxi Province during 1992-1994, had been carried out. Comparing the results of this study to the results from the cancer survey carried out in 1970' in China, we noticed that the average ages of death to breast cancer had decreased but deaths to lymphoma and leukemia had increased dramatically. Sex ratios (male/female) of nasopharyngeal carcinoma and brain tumor had also increased dramatically. However, crude mortalities and age standardized mortalities decreased with esophageal cancer the most in all types of cancers except cancer of the lung. Comparing the ranking of cancer death rates with that of the 1970's, liver cancer upgraded from the 3rd place to the 1st, but esophageal cancer descended from the 1st to the 4th place. Cancers topped the first 5 places were: liver, stomach, lung, esophagus and colon. The proportion of deaths from cancers of the digestive system cancers including liver, stomach, esophagus, gallbladder and pancreas was 64.27%. Death due to cancers from digestive system was the main part of all deaths caused by all types of cancers in this area.