A decline in stomach cancer mortality has been observed in many countries around the world in the last fifty years. In the State of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, stomach cancer was the second most frequent cause of death by cancer among males and the third among females during the 1980s. This study presents a simple analysis of trends in stomach cancer mortaliy in Rio de Janeiro State by gender and residence area during the period from 1979 to 1986. The data showed a general decline in stomach cancer mortality for the entire state for both genders during the study period. Although mortality rates were higher in the interior than in the Greater Metropolitan Area, the decline was less marked in the interior. These findings suggest that the classical risk factors for stomach cancer might have differentially influenced inhabitants of the two geographic areas, e.g., concerning the role of food preservation. This report points to the need for research to identify the main risk factors for cancer to which the population of Rio de Janeiro is exposed, addressing the different patterns found in the Greater Metropolitan Area and the interior.
Stomach Neoplasms; Mortality Study; Descriptive Epidemiology
