Nasopharyngeal cancer in Bermuda

Abstract

Six cases of nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) were diagnosed in residents of Bermuda in the 7‐year period 1966–1972. While epidemiologic study revealed no history of common environmental exposures, two of the six cases occurred in adult sibs from a family in which a third adult sib developed NPC in 1963. These three cases were from a large, possibly in‐bred Portuguese family with origins in the Azores Islands. The remaining four cases were all in black children ages 10–15; two of these four were first cousins. These observations suggest the possibility that genetic influence may contribute to the etiology of NPC.