21-1 - Cancer Trends During the 20th Century

Purpose: To review development trends and possible relations between different cancers in Sweden and in other countries to better understand causing mechanisms. Materials and methods: We used publicly available databases on cancer incidence and mortality to highlight trends and trend breaks. The data were used for correlation studies between different forms of cancers as reported from different counties within Sweden, and from other countries. Results: Some cancer forms correlate to malignant melanoma while others, like leukaemia, do not relate to melanoma at all. Asthma is a disease that has a sharp trend break just as these cancers show around 1955. Conclusions: There is a common environmental stress that accelerates several cancer forms such, as colon cancer, lung cancer, breast cancer, bladder cancer and malignant melanoma. Every effort should be taken to identify and eliminate this stress.