Cancers of skin, bone, connective tissues, brain, eye, thyroid and other specified and unspecified sites in Inuit

Abstract

Low rates of skin cancer, both melanoma and non-melanoma, were observed in Inuit after 20 years of observation. Tumours of the brain and central nervous system, of the thyroid, bone and connective tissues and other specified sites occurred with rates similar to those in comparison populations in Denmark, Connecticut and Canada. These findings support that neither UV and ionizing radiation from nuclear fall-out, nor pollution of herbicides and pesticides in the Arctic area have yet had any noticeable impact on cancer risk. However, unspecified and secondary neoplasms constititute 7-8% of the total Circumpolar cancer incidence and the pattern of rare cancers must be enterpreted with caution. Increased diagnostic efforts with a higher precision in the future are warranted.