Cancer incidence in Indians from three areas: Delhi and Mumbai, India, and British Columbia, Canada.
BACKGROUND
Studies of immigrants have provided unique opportunities for examining disparities in cancer screening and the impact of lifestyles and environmental exposures on cancer risk. Findings have been useful for planning cancer control strategies and generating etiological hypotheses. Although India is a leading source of immigration to British Columbia (BC), Canada, little is known about the cancer profiles of Indo-Canadians, information needed for planning health services and health promotion initiatives for this population.


METHODS
Using data from three population-based cancer registries, cancer incidence was compared for four population groups (in each of Delhi and Mumbai, India; Indo-Canadians in BC, Canada; and the BC general population) over three time periods (1976-1985, 1986-1995 and 1996-2003). BC Indo-Canadians were identified by using Indian surnames.


RESULTS
Age-standardized incidence rates (ASRs) for all cancers combined were lowest for men and women in Delhi and Mumbai, intermediate for BC Indo-Canadians, and highest for the BC general population. Ranking of common cancer sites and ASRs for Indo-Canadian men and women more closely resembled those for the BC general population, rather than those for either Delhi or Mumbai. ASRs and rankings of common cancer sites are presented by gender for the four population groups.


CONCLUSIONS
Cancer incidence patterns in BC Indo-Canadian men and women differed from those in India, being more similar to the BC general population.
Hislop
Thomas Gregory
TG
Cancer Control Research, BC Cancer Agency, 2-109, 675 West 10th Avenue, Vancouver, BC, Canada, V5Z 1L3. ghislop@bccrc.ca
Bajdik
Chris D
CD
Saroa
Sita Ram
SR
Yeole
Balkrishna Bhika
BB
Barroetavena
Maria Cristina
MC
D044466:Asian People / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D001955:British Columbia / Q000453:epidemiology; D004641:Emigration and Immigration / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D007194:India / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000208:ethnology; D008019:Life Style; D008297:Male; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000453:epidemiology*; D012042:Registries; D018570:Risk Assessment