Mortality from cancer of the head and neck, lung and esophagus in eastern Austria between 1960 and 1989

• Published in: European archives of oto-rhino-laryngology 1994-08, Vol.251 (1), p.52-56
• Main Authors: SWOBODA, H, FRIEDL, H.-P
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adult; Aged; Aged, 80 and over; Austria - epidemiology; Biological and medical sciences; Cohort Effect; Cohort Studies; Esophageal Neoplasms - mortality; Female; Head and Neck Neoplasms - mortality; Humans; Laryngeal Neoplasms - mortality; Lung Neoplasms - mortality; Male; Medical sciences; Middle Aged; Mouth Neoplasms - mortality; Otorhinolaryngology. Stomatology; Pharyngeal Neoplasms - mortality; Risk Factors; Sex Factors; Tumors; Upper respiratory tract, upper alimentary tract, paranasal sinuses, salivary glands: diseases, semeiology
• ISSN: 0937-4477; 1434-4726
• DOI: 10.1007/BF00175958

In eastern Austria, mortality from cancer of the mouth and pharynx, larynx, esophagus and lung between 1960 and 1989 developed differently by site and gender. In males, a decrease in lung cancer contrasted with an increase in mouth/pharynx cancer, while rates for cancer of the larynx and esophagus changed only slightly. At all sites, similar double-wave shaped cohort effects were discernible, with a period of decreasing risk separating two periods of increasing risks. The extents of these cohort effects, especially in the later rise of mouth/pharynx neoplasms, shaped the respective mortality curves. In females, lung cancer was found to increase over the whole period, while mouth/pharynx cancer increased during the last decade with risks increasing from cohort to cohort. Larynx rates became somewhat greater during the last two decades. Esophageal cancer demonstrated a steady decrease. For tobacco-related cancers, deglutitional sites were affected in a growing proportion. The combined topical effects of tobacco and alcohol suggest an increasing influence of the co-factor alcohol upon the occurrence of upper aerodigestive cancers in eastern Austria.