[The frequency of cancer in France in 2006, mortality trends since 1950, incidence trends since 1980 and analysis of the discrepancies between these trends].

In 2006, a total number of 149,000 cancer deaths were observed in France, 88,500 in the male population and 60,500 in the female population. In 2005, the number of new diagnoses of cancer is estimated to be 319,000, 183,000 among men and 136,000 among women. Age-standardised mortality rates are decreasing for most frequent cancer sites, at least in recent years, the main exceptions being lung in the female population, and pancreas in both male and female populations. Age-standardised incidence rate has increased by 38% between 1980 and 2005, when one takes demographic changes into account. This trend is the consequence of the increase in prostate cancer incidence among men and mostly of the increases in breast and lung cancers incidence, among women.