Ethnicity in relation to incidence of oesophageal and gastric cancer in England.
BACKGROUND
This study investigated the variation in incidence of all, and six subgroups of, oesophageal and gastric cancer between ethnic groups.


METHODS
Data on all oesophageal and gastric cancer patients diagnosed between 2001 and 2007 in England were analysed. Self-assigned ethnicity from the Hospital Episode Statistics dataset was used. Male and female age-standardised incidence rate ratios (IRRs) were calculated for each ethnic group, using White groups as the references.


RESULTS
Ethnicity information was available for 83% of patients (76 130/92 205). White men had a higher incidence of oesophageal cancer, with IRR for the other ethnic groups ranging from 0.17 95% confidence interval (CI) (0.15-0.20) (Pakistani men) to 0.58 95% CI (0.50-0.67) (Black Caribbean men). Compared with White women, Bangladeshi women (IRR 2.02 (1.24-3.29)) had a higher incidence of oesophageal cancer. For gastric cancer, Black Caribbean men (1.39 (1.22-1.60)) and women (1.57 (1.28-1.92)) had a higher incidence compared with their White counterparts. In the subgroup analysis, White men had a higher incidence of lower oesophageal and gastric cardia cancer compared with the other ethnic groups studied. Bangladeshi women (3.10 (1.60-6.00)) had a higher incidence of upper and middle oesophageal cancer compared with White women.


CONCLUSIONS
Substantial ethnic differences in the incidence of oesophageal and gastric cancer were found. Further research into differences in exposures to risk factors between ethnic groups could elucidate why the observed variation in incidence exists.
King's College London, Thames Cancer Registry, 1st Floor Capital House, 42, Weston Street, London SE1 3QD, UK. victoria.coupland@kcl.ac.uk
V H
VH
Coupland
J
J
Lagergren
J
J
Konfortion
W
W
Allum
M A
MA
Mendall
R H
RH
Hardwick
K M
KM
Linklater
H
H
Møller
R H
RH
Jack
D000368:Aged; D044383:Black People; D004739:England / Q000453:epidemiology; D004938:Esophageal Neoplasms / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000208:ethnology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012306:Risk; D013274:Stomach Neoplasms / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000208:ethnology*; D044465:White People