Cancer mortality in Greece: where are we heading? A 20-year comparative study in four Greek counties.

Aim: Comparison of cancer mortality rates in four Greek counties during the decades 1979-1988 and 1989-1998 and drawing out of cause and effect relationships that could lead to organization of prevention programs.

Methods: We used the Wilcoxon-White test to statistically compare data between the two decades as well as between the four counties separately.

Results: We found that the total proportional mortality during the decade 1988-1998 significantly increased, compared to 1979-1988, in all counties we studied.