Skip to main content
Log in

Cancer Incidence Patterns Among Chinese Immigrant Populations in Alberta

  • Published:
Journal of Immigrant Health Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

This study examines the incidence of cancer among Chinese immigrants to Alberta in comparison to the incidence in Canadian-born Alberta residents and in people of Chinese origin still living in China. Cancer cases among Chinese immigrants and Canadian-born Alberta residents were identified from the Alberta Cancer Registry (1974–1993). Incidence rates for Shanghai (1975–1992) were obtained from the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) publications. Direct age-standardized incidence rates (ASIRs) were calculated using the “world standard population.” Descriptive analysis and Poisson regression modelling were employed to obtain the rate ratios for certain cancer sites among the three populations. For males, the overall incidence of cancer (excluding non-melanoma skin cancer) was lowest in Chinese immigrants while being similar in Canadian-born Alberta residents and Chinese living in Shanghai (197 vs. 224 and 232/100,000). For females, the overall incidence in Chinese immigrants was lower than Canadian-born Alberta residents but similar to that in Chinese living in Shanghai (154 vs 200 and 150/100,000). For cancers that are common in China (stomach and esophagus), the incidence rates for Chinese immigrants were more similar to those for Canadian-born residents than to rates for Shanghai. However, the incidence of liver cancer was very high in the immigrants, suggesting the possible presence of an initiating event during childhood or early adulthood. For cancers that are traditionally uncommon in China (breast and prostate), rates for immigrants were mid-way between those of the two comparison groups. This study supports observations that the risk of cancer in immigrants tends towards the risk of people in the new host country.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

REFERENCES

  1. Geddes M, Parkin DM, Khlat M, Balzi D, Buiatti E: Cancer in Italian Migrant Populations. IARC Scientific Publications No. 123. Lyon: IARC; 1993

  2. Gallagher RP, Elwood JM: Cancer mortality among Chinese, Japanese and Indians in British Columbia, 1964–73. Natl Cancer Inst Monogr 1979; 53:89-94

    Google Scholar 

  3. Hanley AJG: Cancer Mortality Patterns Among Chinese Migrant Populations in Ontario. Masters Thesis, University of Toronto, Toronto, 1992

    Google Scholar 

  4. Wang ZJ, Ramcharan S, Love EJ: Cancer mortality of Chinese in Canada. Int J Epidemiol 1989; 18:17-21

    Google Scholar 

  5. Newman AM, Spengler RF: Cancer mortality among immigrant populations in Ontario, 1969 through 1973. Can Med Assoc J 1984; 130:399-405

    Google Scholar 

  6. Balzi D, Geddes M, Brancker A, Parkin DM: Cancer mortality in Italian migrants and their offspring in Canada. Cancer Causes Control 1995; 6:68-74

    Google Scholar 

  7. Costa R, Renaud V: The Chinese in Canada. Can Soc Trends 1995; 39:22-6, (Statistics Publication Code 11–008E)

    Google Scholar 

  8. Kolonel LN: Cancer patterns of four ethnic groups in Hawaii. J Natl Cancer Ist 1980; 65: 1127-39

    Google Scholar 

  9. Grulich AE, McCredie M, Coates M: Cancer incidence in Asian migrants to New South Wales, Australia. Br J Cancer 1995; 71:400-408

    Google Scholar 

  10. Mills PK, Yang R: Cancer incidence in the Hmong of central California, United States, 1987–1994. Cancer Causes Control 1997; 8:705-712

    Google Scholar 

  11. Fraumeni JF, Mason TJ: Cancer mortality among Chinese Americans, 1950–1969. J Natl Cancer Inst 1974; 52:659-665

    Google Scholar 

  12. Band PR, Gaudette LA, Hill GB, Holowaty EJ, Huchcroft SA, Johnston GM, Makomaski Illing EM, Mao Y, Semenciw RM: The Making of the Canada Cancer Registry: Cancer Incidence in Canada and Its Regions, 1969–1988. Ottawa: Ministry of Supply and Services, Canada; 1992:32,(Table 1)

    Google Scholar 

  13. IARC: Cancer Incidence in Five Continents, Vol. VI. Lyon: IARC; 1992

  14. Statistics Canada: The Nation. Ethnic Origin, Catalogue No. 93–315. Ottawa: Ministry of Industry, Science and Technology; 1993:20-21, (Table 1A)

    Google Scholar 

  15. Statistics Canada: Data Dictionary— National Cancer Incidence Reporting System (NCIRS), 1969–1991. Ottawa: Health Statistics Division, Statistics Canada; 1993

    Google Scholar 

  16. Statistics Canada: Data Dictionary—pmCanadian Cancer Registry (CCR), 1992–1993. Ottawa: Health Statistics Division, Statistics Canada; 1994

    Google Scholar 

  17. Jin F, Devesa SS, Chow WH, Zheng W, Ji BT, Fraumeni JF, Gao YT: Cancer incidence trends in urban Shanghai, 1972–1994: an update. Int J Cancer 1999; 83:435-440

    Google Scholar 

  18. IARC: Cancer Incidence in Five Continents, Vol. IV. Lyon: IARC; 1982

  19. IARC: Cancer Incidence in Five Continents, Vol. V. Lyon: IARC; 1987

  20. IARC: Cancer Incidence in Five Continents, Vol. VII. Lyon: IARC; 1997

  21. Statistics Canada: 1991 Census Handbook, Catalogue 92–305E. 1992: p. 32

  22. Segi M: Cancer Mortality for Selected Sites in 24 Countries (1950–57). Sendai, Japan: Department of Public Health, Tohoku University School of Medicine; 1960

    Google Scholar 

  23. Jensen OM, Parken DM, MaClennan R, Muir CS, Skeet RG: Cancer Registration Principles and Methods, IARC No. 95, Lyon: IARC; 1991

    Google Scholar 

  24. Breslow NE, Day NE: Statistical Methods in Cancer Research, Vol. II: The Design and Analysis of Cohort Studies, IARC Scientific Publications No. 82. Lyon: IARC; 1987:64

    Google Scholar 

  25. Shoff SM, Newcomb PA, Trentham-Dietz A, Remington PL, Mittendorf R, Greenberg ER, Willett WC: Early-life physical activity and postmenopausal breast cancer: effect of body size and weight change. Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev 2000; 9:591-595

    Google Scholar 

  26. Fang J, Madhavan S, Alderman MH: Cancer mortality ofChinese in New York City 1988–1992. Int J Epidemiol 1996; 25(5):907-912

    Google Scholar 

  27. US Department of Health and Human Services: Reducing the Health Consequences of Smoking: 25 Years of Progress. US Department of Health and Human Services, Public Health Service, Office on Smoking and Health; 1989

  28. Millar WJ: Place of birth and ethnic status: factors associated with smoking prevalence among Canadians. Health Rep 1992; 4:7-24. (Cat. 82–003)

    Google Scholar 

  29. King H, Haenszel W: Cancer mortality among foreign-and native-born Chinese in the United States. J Chronic Dis 1973; 26:623-646

    Google Scholar 

  30. Gao YT, Blot WJ, Zheng W, Ershow AG, Hsu CW, Levin LI, Zhang R, Fraumeni JF Jr: Lung cancer among Chinese women. Int J Cancer 1987; 40:604-609

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Wei Luo.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Luo, W., Birkett, N.J., Ugnat, AM. et al. Cancer Incidence Patterns Among Chinese Immigrant Populations in Alberta. Journal of Immigrant Health 6, 41–48 (2004). https://doi.org/10.1023/B:JOIH.0000014641.68476.2d

Download citation

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1023/B:JOIH.0000014641.68476.2d

Navigation