Trends in cancer incidence in Connecticut

The population-based Connecticut Tumor Registry was used to examine recent trends (1980-84 to 1990-94) in average annual age-standardized incidence rates (ASRs) for invasive cancers. Noteworthy were the increase for lung cancer in women (but a decline in men), the sharp increase for prostate cancer (but little change in female breast cancer), increases for melanoma of skin (both sexes) and non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (especially in males), and declines for colon and rectum (both sexes). Reducing cancer incidence rates will require expanded primary prevention efforts, involving mainly behavioral or life-style changes, with an important role for primary-care physicians.