Epidemiology of tumour mortality from 2000 to 2005 in the province of Vercelli (Italy).

The main aim of this study was to assess the burden of cancer disease in residents of Vercelli (northern Italy), by analysing mortality data and hospital discharge forms. This was done in order to verify whether, as widely suspected among the city's population, an increased risk of cancer exists in the area, due to the large number of existing agricultural and industrial activities. Tumour mortality rates were compared with mortality data from the tumour registries of the province of Biella and of the city of Turin to identify a possible excess number of cases in Vercelli.An increased mortality rate was observed with respect to reference values (mortality registry of the city of Turin) for several tumours; more specifically results revealed a significantly increased mortality rate due to colorectal tumours, leukemias and nervous system tumours in both genders. Excess mortality was detected in males but not in females for esophageal cancer, non melanoma skin cancers, pancreatic, laryngeal, prostatic, renal and bone cancers. Conversely, in females, the standard mortality ratios (SMR) were found to be statistically significant for renal and laryngeal cancers and for Hodgkin's lymphoma