The Singapore Cancer Registry started operations on January 1, 1968. It is a population-based registry that seeks to obtain basic epidemiological and clinical data on all cases of cancer diagnosed in Singapore. The results presented pertain only to Singapore citizens and permanent residents and cover the period from 1973 to 1977. Of special interest are the cancer patterns of the main ethnic groups in Singapore. Generally, the Chinese (76% of total population) have significantly higher risks for cancer; the most prevalent sites are the nasopharynx, esophagus, stomach, liver, and lung. Within the Chinese group are also dialect group differences. The Malays (15% of population) have the lowest rates for most sites, whereas among the Indians (7% of population), mouth cancer is an important site for both sexes. All these variations provide useful clues in the search for etiological factors.
New data are presented concerning the relationship between NPC and HLA antigens among Chinese. When attention is confined to newly diagnosed cases, it can be shown that, apart from the increased risk associated with the joint occurrence of A2 and B-Sin 2, there is also an increased risk associated with BW17 and a decrease in risk associated with A11. Among long-term survivors, however, BW17 is appreciably decreased, whereas A2 in the absence of B-Sin 2 or BW17 is increased. Among Malays, a non-Chinese group, there is an excess among NPC patients of a locus A blank, a blank which is probably associated with the AW19 complex.