Abstract
The trends in mortality from liver cancer and its allied liver diseases in Japan indicated substantial changes over time. The age-adjusted mortality rates from all liver diseases for men were stable during the 17 years 1968-1984, but those for women showed a slightly declining curve. A slightly declining curve in the mortality rates from liver cancer that paralleled that of those for liver cirrhosis was also observed in women. For other liver diseases that excluded cancer, cirrhosis, and infections hepatitis, a continuous declining trend was observed for both sexes. The decreasing trend, however, \,'as more rapid in women than in men. The mortality curve for liver cancer in men rose after 1975, but the curve for liver cirrhosis in men was seen to decline. The intersection of these two trend curves in 1983 is a manifestation worthy of notice in the current study of liver diseases. The increasing trend of liver cancer was demonstrated by calculation of the consistency of clinical diagnosis with pathological findings by autopsy. Etiological factors yet to be determined may be attributable to the excessive consumption of alcohol in certain age groups and to the particular circumstances to which people born in 1920-34 were exposed.
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