[Cancer of the liver (analysis of autopsy data)]

The findings at 26.879 autopsies, that is 70% of all the deaths registered in the Province of Trieste, obtained at the Institute of Pathologic Anatomy and Histology of Trieste from 1976 to 1985 were studied. Liver cancer showed in the Province the World Standardized Incidence Rate (WR) of 1.87 (females) and 12.78 (males), one of the highest ever observed in nonendemic areas. In view of close association between cancer of the liver and cirrhosis (88%), the authors studied the most important etiological factors of cirrhosis in the region, i.e. hepatitis B and alcohol abuse. Some effective measures are suggested to decrease the incidence of cirrhosis and eventually cancer of the liver.