OBJECTIVES: During the second half of the 20th century living conditions of the Inuit populations in the Arctic have undergone major transitions. The objective was to investigate how the cancer pattern was affected by these changes, using data from the Danish Cancer Registry and the Civil Registration System. RESULTS: In the period 1973-1997 total cancer incidence increased by 4% per 5 years for men and 6% per 5 years for women. The incidence of lung, stomach, breast and colon cancer increased in both sexes, whereas the incidence of cervical cancer decreased. CONCLUSIONS: Thus, the overall cancer incidence among Greenlandic Inuit is increasing as a result of increases in several cancers that are common in Western populations. In contrast to global trends, a significant increase in the incidence of stomach cancer in both sexes was observed.