Race and place in the etiology of nasopharyngeal cancer: A study based on California death certificates

A review of the California death certificates coded to nasopharyngeal cancer as cause of death during 1955–64 revealed that five of 273 white male decedents were born in the Philippine Islands or China, areas where the disease is known to be endemic. The expected number, based on certificates for other cancer deaths, was much less than one. From the death certificate entries for name and birthplace of parents of decedents it was apparent that the five decedents were of Caucasian stock without Mongoloid admixture. This is the first indication that there is a high risk of nasopharyngeal cancer not only for the Mongoloid peoples who are indigenous to Southeast Asia, but also for Whites born in the area.