In 2002, stomach cancer (SC) was the fourth most
common cancer in the world, with 900 937 cases
and 700 349 deaths. Two-thirds of these occurred in
developing countries[1]. The high risk zones encompass
Asia, Eastern Europe, and the Andean region of South
America, all of diverse geographical characteristics[2].
Chile, a representative of the Andean Region, presents an
SC average mortality rate per 100 000 in 1990-2005 of 25.1
for men and 13.2 for women[1]. This high SC mortality
has not changed in the last 20 years[3]. The existence of
a population-based Cancer Registry in Valdivia[4] gave us
the opportunity to measure SC incidence and survival
in a middle developing country. The Cancer Registry
of Valdivia was initiated in 1982 and encompasses the
inhabitants of an area of 18 429 square kilometres in
Southern Chile; the data are included in the International
Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) cancer reports in
5 continents[4]. The aims of this study were to measure SC
incidence and risk factors and to assess SC survival.