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Abstract
<p class="first" id="d2601990e77">The relative importance of cardiovascular disease
(CVD) and cancer as leading causes
of premature death are examined in this communication. CVD and cancer are now the
leading causes in 127 countries, with CVD leading in 70 countries (including Brazil
and India) and cancer leading in 57 countries (including China). Such observations
can be seen as part of a late phase of an epidemiologic transition, taking place in
the second half of the 20th century and the first half of the present one, in which
the dominance of infectious diseases is progressively superseded by noncommunicable
diseases. According to present ranks and recent trends, cancer may surpass CVD as
the leading cause of premature death in most countries over the course of this century.
Clearly, governments must factor in these transitions in developing cancer policies
for the local disease profile.
</p>