[Epidemiology of carcinosis. 105 years of mortality statistics (author's transl)].

Cancer mortality in Hamburg, calculated per 10,000 living inhabitants of each age group of men and women for the years 1873 to 1978 proved to be essentially constant after eliminating sources of statistical error. Calculation or organ involvement by the same method for 1933 to 1978 showed that the increase in mortality for one type of location is compensated by a decrease elsewhere, so that altogether the constancy remains. This behavior can be explained if it be assumed. This behavior can be explained if it be assumed that a certain constant percentage of the population is prone to cancer and - possibly due to the action of exogenous noxae - becomes ill when the necessary age is reached. The nature of a determining factor which is most probably present is not known. Comparison with international figure shows that the results of the Hamburg Study can be considered a model case.