Objective: To describe cancer and mortality rates in Bermuda and to compare such rates to those of the United States of America (U.S.A.).
Methods: Age-adjusted race-specific cancer incidence rates for Bermuda were calculated using the Bermuda Cancer Registry. These rates were then compared to U.S.A. cancer rates published by the National Cancer Institute.
Results: Overall age-adjusted incidence rate was 495 cases per 100,000 for Blacks and 527 cases per 100,000 for Whites. Incident cases were more frequent among men than women in both races. For Blacks, the highest incidences were prostate for men and breast for women, followed by colon/rectum and lung cancer. For Whites, if we exclude benign skin cancers, the picture was similar with the notable exception of lung cancer being more frequent than colon/rectum in White males. When Bermuda's rates were compared to those of the U.S.A., overall cancer rates were similar in both countries. Rates in Bermuda were higher for cancer of the mouth, ovarian cancer (Black women), melanoma (Whites), colorectal cancer (White women) and breast cancer (White women). Lung and colorectal cancers were less frequent in Bermuda's Black population.
Conclusion: Further epidemiological studies are needed to identify potential risk factors that could contribute to these differences. Screening and prevention strategies could be adjusted accordingly.