Mortality from malignant tumors in men in the Basque Country (1996-2003)

One in three deaths in man was due to malignant tumors (CIE-9: 140-208 and ICD-10: C00-C97)*. In the period 1990-2004 malignant tumors had an average annual decrease of 0.9 %, lower than that experienced by other causes of death. This has led to these tumors having an increasing relative importance among the causes of death. In the CAPV there is a very marked geographical pattern, with higher mortality in the regions of Greater Bilbao, Encartaciones and Donostia-San Sebastián.