Epidemiological characteristics and multiple risk factors of stomach cancer in Taiwan

Both descriptive and analytical studies were carried out to examine epidemiologic characteristics and multiple risk factors of stomach cancer in Taiwan. The age-adjusted mortality rate of stomach cancer has been decreasing since the early 1970s for both males and females. The male-to-female ratio of the disease has remained around 2:1 in the past three decades. Comparison of the incidence of stomach cancer among Chinese in different countries showed a much lower incidence among Chinese in the USA than those in southeastern Asia. A hospital-based matched case-control study carried out in Taipei metropolitan areas showed a positive association of stomach cancer with blood type A, chronic gastric diseases, cigarette smoking, alcohol drinking, green tea drinking as well as consumption of salted meat, cured meat, smoked food, fried food and fermented beans. There was also a significant negative association between the disease and the consumption of milk.