The cancer morbidity in the Republic of North Ossetia-Alania is still high: 248.2 (1998), 243.1 (1999) and 241.3 (2000) per 100,000. The site distribution patterns varied significantly: the leading localizations in 1991 were trachea, lungs and bronchus--32.1; breast--28.3; skin--26.5; stomach--21.2 and hemopoietic organs--18.0. By the year 2000, the situation had changed dramatically: breast--60.2; skin--33.7 and respiratory system--20.4.