The purpose of this study was to examine the change in incidence pattern of oesophageal cancer in the Côte-d'Or region (Burgundy, France). Data from the population-based cancer registry were used to study time trends between 1976 and 1993, according to sex, place of residence, subsite and histology. There was a non-significant increase in incidence of oesophageal cancer, by an average of +1.0% [confidence interval:-0.7; +2.8] per year in men and +2.0% [CI: -3.0; +6.9] in women. In men, variations in incidence were minor according to subsite and place of residence, among the six age groups studied. In contrast, there were important changes among histological types. Rates of squamous cell carcinoma remained stable, but those of adenocarcinoma increased significantly (P < 0.001). They represented 5.6% of known histological types, between 1976 and 1987, and 20.1% in 1991-3. Similar trends were observed in women. This rising incidence of adenocarcinomas, observed later than in the UK or the USA, started in 1987-90 and was particularly pronounced between 1991 and 1993. In view of this sharp increase in incidence of oesophageal adenocarcinomas, research on their aetiological determinants is urgently needed.