Estimation of Cancer Mortality among Koreans with Reference to Kyongsangnam-do Area

Lee, Moo Song; Park, Tae Soo; Ahn, Yoon Ok

Abstract

To estimate the cancer mortality rates among Koreans, a mortality survey was carried out in the province of Kyongsangnam-do. The study population are the beneficiaries of Korea Medical Insurance Corporation (KMIC), Kydngsangnam-do area, among which the 3,867 deaths occurred from January, 1989 to December, 1990, were reviewed to confirm the cancer deaths. These were based upon the death certificates and medical utilization records before dying which were available through the computerized databases on medical care utility of KMIC. The survey was conducted along three steps. At first, the death certificates were examined, as a second step medical utilization records were reviewed, and finally direct contacts to the family members of the deceased were done. As a result, 990 deaths were found due to cancer. Using them, age and sex specific cancer(all sites and several sites) mortality rates were estimated. Overall cancer mortality rate in the area was estimated 138.7 per 100,000 person-years in males, and 65.7 in females, respectively. And the orders of site-specific cancer mortality rates were the cancers of stomach, liver, lung, esophagus, and cancers of the hematopoietic system among males, In females, followed by gastric cancer, cancers of lung and liver are the 2nd and 3rd in rank, respectively and cancers of breast and uterine cervix are the 4th and the 5th in rank.