To analyze trends in colorectal cancer in Spain from 1951?007, and their relationship with alcohol and cigarette consumption.<h4 class=""h4"">Material and methodsh4>
We performed a correlation analysis between incidence, mortality and potential years of life lost rates, the mean age at death, and per capita consumption of alcohol and cigarettes with a time span of 15 years.<h4 class=""h4"">Resultsh4>
In contrast with the tendency in other countries, the incidence of colorectal cancer steadily increased in both genders. Mortality increased from 1951?000 and then stabilized in men and decreased in women. Years of potential life lost showed a similar pattern to mortality, while the mean age at death continuously increased during the study period in both genders.
For alcohol consumption, the coefficients in both genders ranged from 0.41 to 0.67, with the highest incidence values being obtained for Zaragoza. For cigarette consumption, the correlation coefficients showed positive values close to 1 in the incidence in Zaragoza and Navarre, and somewhat lower values for mortality and potential years of life lost in both genders.<h4 class=""h4"">Conclusionsh4>
Legislative measures on alcohol and cigarette consumption should be urgently applied by authorities in the field of education and health promotion to decrease the incidence, mortality and potential years of life lost rates for colorectal cancer.