[Epidemiology of cancer and the environment]

Results of epidemiological investigations point out that environmental factors have an influence on the development of at least 80% of cancer diseases. The cancer mortality rates in Austria are analyzed with regard to this point. Austrian mortality trends of the most common malignancies are similar to those of other western industrialized countries. The relationship between cancer risk and the size of the Austrian communities is shown. As opposed to other common cancer sites, cancer of the stomach is most common in small communities with mainly an agricultural population. Etiological hypotheses about the origin of stomach cancer are discussed with regard to its epidemiological findings as well as the dietary habits of the population.