The Incidence of Cancer in San Francisco and Alameda Counties, California, 1938

Abstract

The number of cases of cancer under medical care in San Francisco and Alameda Counties, Calif., in 1938, was 7,859, of which 5,773 were residents and 2,086 were nonresidents. There were 1,974 cancer deaths recorded, of which 173 were resident cases not reported by doctors or hospitals. These, added to the reported cases, make the total resident cases 5,946. The prevalence rate was 525.7/100,000 residents. To a certain extent the high prevalence rate in this area is attributable to the unusually old population. The most frequent primary sites of cancer reported among [male] were the digestive tract; skin, and buccal cavity, and among [female], the breast, uterus, and digestive tract. Since the various pri- mary sites cannot be treated with equal success, the frequency of occurrence of specific sites among the living cases was not the same as among the dead cases. Cancers of the digestive tract and respiratory system were far more frequent among the dead than the living cases, while skin and breast cancers were far more frequent among the living cases. The frequency of occurrence of cancer of certain organs varies with age. Brain and bone cancers were especially likely to develop at an early age, while in nearly 3 of 4 of the prostate cases the patient was 65 yrs. of age or over. There were 416 cancer cases/100,000 [male][male] and 611/ 100,000 [female][female]. The incidence rates, relating only to those cases first seen in the study year, were 255/100,000 [male][male] and 314/ 100,000 [female][female]. 39% of all cancer cases reported had durations of under 6 mos. from the date of 1st diagnosis to death or the end of the study yr., and over 60% of them had durations of under a yr. The durations of the cases reported as alive were longer than those of the dead; 56% of the living cases had durations of under a yr., while 73% of the dead patients had died before the end of a yr.