Ethnic differences in cancer incidence and mortality: the Birmingham Factory Screening Project

There is little information on ethnic differences in the incidence of cancer and cancer mortality among adults in the UK, particularly concerning Afro-Caribbean people.

To examine differences in the incidence of malignant cancer and cancer mortality rates among White European, Afro-Caribbean, and South-Asian people, and to examine baseline demographic predictors of cancer mortality.

Longitudinal cohort study.

We compared ethnic differences in the incidence of malignant cancer and cancer mortality over a mean (SD) follow-up of 19.9 (4.8) years, in relation to baseline demographic characteristics and blood pressure variables, in the 2713 participants (2090 White European men and women, 428 Afro-Caribbean men and women, and 195 South Asian men) enrolled in the Birmingham Factory Screening Project whose survival status on 31 December 2003 was known.

White European women had a significantly higher incidence of cancer compared to Afro-Caribbean women (p=0.019). In addition, South Asian men had a significantly lower incidence of cancer compared to White European men (p<0.0001) and Afro-Caribbean men (p=0.048). The incidence of cancer was similar in White European and Afro-Caribbean men (p=1.00). Overall incidence densities of cancer and death from cancer were 0.6% and 0.3% per 100 person-years of observation, respectively. Age, ethnicity, and smoking status were independent predictors of both cancer incidence and cancer mortality.

The incidence of, and death from, cancer are both lower in minority ethnic groups in the UK, than in their White European counterparts.