Cancer mortality in nonsmokers: prospective study by the American Cancer Society

Standardized mortality ratios (SMR) were computed for nonsmokers who were compared with the total American Cancer Society study population for sites of cancer. The SMR were 64 for males and 96 for females for total cancer. Sites with low SMR in males (< 30) included lung, larynx, pleura, tongue, mouth, and pharynx. SMR less than 60 were observed for cancers of the esophagus and bladder. For female nonsmokers, relatively low SMR were observed for lung, larynx, and pharynx cancers. Death rates for cancers of all sites in females exceeded those in males in the age groups of 35--44, 45--54, and 55--64 years. Death rates were about the same in the 65- to 74-year-old group and about 40% higher in males than in females 75 years old and older. Lung cancer death rates in nonsmokers among both males and females were low and ranked between fourth and sixth in males and fifth to eleventh in females in the 5 age groups.