Gastric and colorectal cancer mortality in an urban and industrialized area of Brazil.

PURPOSE To study the gastric and colorectal cancer mortalities and their relation to the urban-industrialization in Baixada Santista, located in the southeastern region of Brazil. METHODS Selected from the registries of the State System of Data Analysis Foundation (SEADE) were 1105 deaths due to gastric cancer (ICD 153 - 154) and 690 due to colorectal cancer (ICD 151) that occurred from 1980 to 1993 in males, above 10 years of age, residing in Baixada Santista. For each of these types of cancer, the standardized mortality rates, age-adjusted by world population in the 1960s, for 4 industrialized and 4 non-industrialized urban communities in that region were calculated. The ratios among those rates were calculated in order to compare the mortality in the periods 1980 - 93, 1980 - 1986, and 1987 - 1993. RESULTS Standardized mortality rates for colorectal cancer were significantly higher in industrialized area, with ratios of 1.6 [95% CI 1.22 - 2.29], 1.6 [95% CI 1.2 - 2.0], and 1.6 [95% CI 1.3 - 2.0] in the periods 1980 - 86, 1987 - 1993 and 1980 - 93, respectively. Gastric cancer did not show any statistical difference between the industrialized and non-industrialized areas, but there was a significant decrease in BS from the period 1980 - 1986 to 1987 - 1993. CONCLUSIONS The significant elevation of colorectal cancer mortality in the industrialized area could be related to exposure to numerous carcinogens such as aromatic hydrocarbon, organic-chloride, metals, and industrial-port dust present in the region. Alternatively, the non-significant difference in gastric cancer between industrialized and non-industrialized areas and significant decrease in the last few years could be predominately reflecting the advances in the quality of life in urban areas. These results require further case-control studies that could help with the analysis of the associations among cancer and environmental factors (occupational, urban-industrial, habit, and life condition) and genetic susceptibility.