[Geographic pathology and digestive tract cancers. Present status and prospects (author's transl)]

Geographic pathology has largely contributed to our knowledge of the epidemiology of digestive tract cancers. The characteristics of spatial and temporal distribution of oesophagus, stomach, colon and rectum cancers are described. The paper further discusses how more detailed breakdowns in geographic pathology might suggest new working hypotheses; this is illustrated by examples taken from recent literature.