Changing Patterns of Cancer in Korea;Six-Year Experience of Cancer Admissions in the Beneficiaries of Korean Medical Insurance Corporation

Abstract

To figure out the epidemiologic characteristics of cancer in Korea during recent years, changing patterns of cancer admission - as a proxy of cancer morbidity - were observed by analysing the cancer admission data of the beneficiaries of Korean Medical Insurance Corporation, 1981-1986. There was a marked increase in age-adjusted cancer admission (lCD 140-208), which was higher in male. Proportion indices of cancer admission (leo 140-208) to total admission was also increasing by year, suggesting a substantial increase in cancer morbidity in Korea. In male, stomach, lung, liver and colorectum were the most common sites of cancer, while in female, stomach, uterine cervix, breast and colorectum were the top four sites. The order of frequency was almost constant during the period. Epidemiological characteristics of some selected cancer sites were briefly discussed.