The GLOBOCAN 2002 database has been built up using the huge amount of data available in the Descriptive Epidemiology Group of the International Agency for Research on Cancer.

Incidence data are available from cancer registries. They cover entire national populations, or samples of such populations from selected regions. Cancer registries also provide statistics on cancer survival. With data on incidence, and on survival, we can estimate the prevalence of cancer (persons who are alive with cancer diagnosed within a given number of years of diagnosisrs). Mortality data by cause are available for many countries through the registration of vital events, although the degree of detail and quality of the data vary considerably. With such data, it is possible to prepare estimates of the numbers of new and prevalent cancer cases and deaths by site, sex and age group. These are more or less accurate, for different countries, depending on the extent and accuracy of locally available data.

Cancer data are always collected and compiled sometime after the events to which they relate, so that the most recent statistics available are always "late". The degree of lateness varies, but if we want to make comprehensive (worldwide) estimates of burden, we are always obliged to use incidence, survival, and mortality data that are several years old. GLOBOCAN 2002 presents estimates for the year 2002. However, although the populations of the different countries are those estimated for the middle of 2002, the disease rates are not those for the year 2002, but from the most recent data available, generally 2-5 years earlier.

Incidence and mortality rates by age group (0-14,15-44,45-54,55-64,65+), cancer and sex were estimated for as many countries as possible. The numbers of cases, deaths and cancer survivors are computed by multiplying the estimated rates by the year 2002 population estimates for the corresponding country.

The GLOBOCAN 2002 files have been compressed in .Zip format for ease of distribution.