Cancer mortality from 1978 to 1987 in smaller regions of Styria, Austria, with different environmental conditions

In 1984 we have shown in a study, that regions with high air pollution have a higher respiratory cancer rate than regions without substantial air pollution. In this study 45 small regions of Styria, which can be considered homogenous from an environmental viewpoint, have been studied with respect to age standardized respiratory cancer mortality. These small regions have been classified into regions without substantial air pollution, with substantial air and substantial water pollution. Between 1978 and 1987 we have found that small regions with substantial air or water pollution show an increased age standardized respiratory cancer mortality than small regions with "good" environmental conditions. In some regions the rate was twice as high compared to regions without substantial environmental problems. The main difference was found for the age group between 60 and 75 years. Generally between 1978 and 1987 no trend has been observed, only within age groups a shift can be seen.