The mortality rate of the province of birth as a risk indicator for lung and stomach cancer mortality among Genoa residents born in other Italian provinces

This study analyses the relationship between migration and mortality for lung and stomach cancer, these diseases being those considered susceptible to changes in environmental conditions and individual habits that usually follow migration. Mortality rate of the province of birth was used as the index of risk related to migration. Data were analysed using the Poisson regression model for grouped data. Results indicate that migration determines modifications in the mortality rates of the migrant populations for the diseases under study. For lung cancer, the analysis showed a greater risk for migrants originating from areas with high rates and that migrants had a reduced risk in comparison with natives of Genoa. With regard to stomach cancer, the study revealed that migrants originating from high risk areas had higher relative risks than the Genoa natives, even if these were lower than expected when compared to the risks of the populations in the regions from which the migrants originated.