The Tasmanian Cancer Registry cam'ed out population-based surveillance of non-melanoma skin cancer (NMSC) from I978 to 1987. A total of 8.65 I NMSC were recorded in 7, I60 individuals, representing an age-standardized rate of I 6 I / I00,OOO per year.Ninety-four percent of cases were based on histological diagnosis. Incidence of basal-cell carcinoma (BCC) was higher than the incidence of squamous-cell carcinoma (SCC). The incidence of NMSC was twice as high in men as in women. Incidence increased substantially with age, more markedly for SCC than BCC. For most body sites, BCC was more frequent, but on hi&ty exposed sites such as the backs of hands, lower limbs in women and ears in men, the incidence of SCC was higher. There was an overall increase of 7% per year in the age-standardized incidence rate of NMSC. The increase was more marked for BCC than for SCC, and was consistent across age groups and both sexes. A first NMSC during the study period was associated with a 12-fold increase among men and a 15-fold increase among women in the risk of development of a new NMSC within 5 years, when compared with the NMSC incidence recorded for the population as a whole. I993 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

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Objective To describe the characteristics of cutaneous malignant melanoma in Australians in 1989. Design and data Descriptive analysis of all invasive melanomas reported to State or Territory cancer registries in 1989. Main outcome measures The age, sex and State or Territory of residence of affected individuals, and the topography, morphology and thickness of the melanoma. Results The age‐standardised incidence rates of melanoma were 30.2 and 23.9 per 100000 males and females respectively; the highest rates were observed for the male trunk (11.7 per 100000) and female lower limbs (8.8 per 100 000); the most commonly specified morphology was superficial spreading melanoma, followed by nodular melanoma and lentigo malignant melanoma. Fifty‐two per cent of melanomas of known thickness were thinner than 0.76 mm, with females having proportionally more thin melanomas than males, and males having twice the rate of melanomas thicker than 3 mm. Melanoma rates in northern latitudes were approxi‐mately double those further south. Conclusions Distinct patterns of melanoma incidence by latitude and body site confirm the role of sunlight exposure in melanoma aetiology. Females often have thinner melanomas than males, which is reflected in their better prognosis. People living closer to the equator more often have level 1 (in situ) and thin invasive melanoma, probably related to increased awareness of melanoma risk with decreasing latitude. The collection of melanoma data would be improved if patholo‐gists' reports routinely included melanoma site, morphology, level and thickness. All registries should collect data on level 1 melanomas to help evaluate early melanoma detection programs and to continue surveillance of the Australian skin cancer epidemic.

Data from 2 Australian cancer registries covering a population of 1.7 million people were combined for the purposes of analysing brain cancer incidence, mortality and survival patterns for the time period 1978 through 1992. A total of 1,752 cases of primary brain cancer were registered, representing age-standardised incidence rates of 6.7 per 100,000 in men and 4.6 in women. Histological confirmation was available for 94% of cases. The incidence rate among persons aged 75 or over was higher during 1986-1992 than during 1978-1985, the rate for men increasing from 16.3 to 26.2 and that for women increasing from 9.7 to 18.0. The largest increases in this age group occurred for cases of glioblastoma multiforme. During the study period, 1,411 brain cancer deaths were notified to the 2 registries at age-standardised rates of 5.3 in men and 3.4 in women. Mortality rates among persons aged 75 years or older were higher during 1986-1992 than 1978-1985, increasing from 15.7 to 28.4 in men and from 10.1 to 15.3 in women. Only among men aged 15-49 years was a decline in mortality rates observed, from 3.3 to 2.4. Survival analyses indicated that age and histological type were the most powerful prognostic indicators. There was no improvement in 5-year survival for any of the age groups or histological types. An improvement in 36-month survival was noted for the 15-49 year age group diagnosed with gliomas other than glioblastoma multiforme.