Does cancer occur more in the Western world?

Rutger · New User Joined: 30 Sep 2004 Posts: 1 Location: Amsterdam

I have seen the statistics at http://seer.cancer.gov/csr/1975_2001/sections.html about how the occurrences of cancer increased from 1975 to 2001. These were cases from the US. How does this correlate to the number of cases in other parts of the world, especially the third world and Asia.

What I want to know is whether there is information to support or debunk the claim that cancer is an 'epidemic of the western world'?

Is there evidence that i.e. 'western' eating habits, or environmental pollution are real causes for cancer? More so that in other parts of the world?

leo · Site Admin Joined: 23 Sep 2004 Posts: 1574

Ruetger

It is true that we are seeing more cancer in the western world. What also happens is that we are making more diagnoses of previously unrecognized cancers, meaning our tests are just so much better at detecting it.

On the other hand, in general the incidence of cancers differs dramatically if you separate this disease into types of cancer. For example, stomach cancer is much more common in Japan than it is in the US. Certain types of nasopharyngeal cancer are more common in South Asia. Cervical cancer is much more common in underdeveloped countries, since they do not have good Pap-smear screening programs.

You can look at data following this link http://www-depdb.iarc.fr/globocan2002.htm

But I would not say that cancer is worse in the western world at this point.

regards,
Leo

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