Summary objective To describe the variations in cancer incidence in the population born in French Polynesia (FP) according to the archipelago of birth and to compare this incidence with that of Hawaiians and Maoris.

methods Study of data from the Cancer Registry of FP, evacuation files, insurance records, hospital and pathology laboratory files.

results The overall world standardized cancer incidence in FP during the 1985–95 period in the populations born and living in FP was 246 per 105 person?years (PY) among women and 244 per 105 PY among men. The overall cancer incidence was similar to that in Hawaiians, but 25% lower than in Maoris. Digestive tract cancer incidence was a third that of these two reference populations, whereas that of pharynx, larynx and thyroid cancers was approximately twice as high. The overall cancer incidence rate increased between the period 1985–89 and the period 1990–95 in women, but was stable in men. Colorectal cancer incidence was highest in inhabitants born on the Windward Islands. Women born on the Austral Islands had a higher thyroid and liver cancer incidence and a lower breast cancer incidence