[Analysis of trends in stomach and intestinal cancer mortality in Austria].

According to age-standardized mortality rates (European standard population, Fig. 1) and mortality rates by birth cohort and age at death (Fig. 2-7) the trends of mortality of stomach and colorectal cancer (1966-1981/82) were analysed for men and women. In a further step it was examined how far these trends could be explained by the hypothesis "diet and cancer" (western diet). Under the postulation that the manifestation of western diet has reduced the risk of stomach cancer drastically, the risk of colorectal cancer has not increased to the same extent. Moreover, rectal cancer has shown only a slight increase and might even decrease in years to come. Having in mind the increasing risk, diet has no major impact so far. The differences in trends according to age groups and birth cohorts indicate the influence of other factors than diet. Furthermore, it is necessary to deal with colon and rectal cancer separately because of the differences in their trends.