Epidemiology of Cancer

Abstract

This chapter gives some basic facts about the epidemiology of cancer, based on data from the United States and from Western European countries. Internationally, and even regionally, there are large variations in cancer incidence rates¹ and in cancer mortality. However, while the precise incidence rates may differ to varying degrees in many details, the broad picture based on a ranking of the most common cancers is rather similar between the United States and several Western European countries. The following overview of the epidemiology of cancer does not purport to give a detailed picture of the situation in any specific country. It is merely intended to give the reader an idea about the order of magnitude of the problem and has been based on the most readily accessible data, which have not been scrutinized any further.