An areawide cancer reporting network.

A cancer Surveillance Program was formed in 1970 to provide a mechanism for the early identification of some 22,000 cancer cases that are diagnosed annually among the large and varied population of Los Angeles County. The program's rapid reporting procedures facilitate early access to patients for interviewing and specimen collection. Routine review of all reports of microscopically diagnosed malignancies in hospitals throughout the county and screening of all of the county's death certificates provide virtually complete data on cancer incidence in the county. Case reports include information on age, ethnic group, birthplace, residence, religion, marital status, occupation, and industry. Continuing analysis of this information has led to the development of epidemiologic studies of several factors which may have an etiological relationship to human cancer. Among these factors are genetic susceptibility, exposure to air pollutants and industrial carcinogens and possible viral transmission.