10. Are there geographic differences in cancer occurrence within the United States? Geographic differences do appear in the reported mortality for some sites. The Northeast region (comprising the New England and Middle Atlantic States) is characterized by an excess mortality from cancer of the digestive system, cancer of the respiratory system, and cancer of the breast, but a lower than expected mortality from skin cancer. For the South (the South Atlantic, East South Central, and West South Central States) the situation is reversed. North Central region (East North Central and West North Central States) tends to occupy an intermediate position with respect to cancer mortality for the various sites, whereas the West divides into two disparate divisions, the Mountain States, with generally low cancer mortality, and the Pacific with cancer mortality near the average. The Differences are also indicated by reports of cancer incidence from different parts of the country. New Orleans, for example, has a higher than expected incidence of cancer of the bladder and cancer of the lung, whereas Atlanta has exceptionally low rates for cancer of the digestive system. While some of the numerous geographic differences on record are probably due to differences in the accuracy and completeness of reporting, others are undoubtedly real and significant. |