Epidemiology

Estimated incidence of pancreatic cancer shows that there were 103,773 new pancreatic cancer cases in 2012 in Europe (3% of all new cancer cases, except non-melanoma skin cancer). Pancreatic cancer is the 8th most commonly diagnosed cancer in men; while in women incidence of pancreatic cancer ranks 9th.

Estimated incidence for both sexes in Europe, 2012

Source: EUCAN/IARC.

Pancreatic cancer is the 6th leading cause of cancer-related death (6% of all cancer deaths) in Europe, with 104,481 estimated deaths in 2012.

Estimated mortality for both sexes in Europe, 2012

Source: EUCAN/IARC.

Incidence and mortality rates vary markedly among Europe. For instance, The Czech Republic, followed by Slovakia and Hungary, have the highest incidence rates, while European countries having the lowest rates are Bosnia and Hergovina, Cyprus and Sweden.

Estimated incidence from pancreatic cancer in both sexes, 2012

Source: EUCAN/IARC.

According to mortality predictions for the year 2015 in the European Union, mortality of pancreatic cancer will keep increasing between 2009 and 2015 in both sexes (rising by 4% in men and 5% in women), becoming the fourth leading cause of cancer death with 8% and 6% of all cancer deaths in men and women, respectively (Malvezzi et al, 2015). Projections of cancer incidence and mortality to 2030 also reveal that pancreatic cancer will become the second leading cause of cancer-related death in the US (Rahib et al 2014).

Pancreatic cancer still has a poor prognosis and has the lowest survival rate of all cancers; the 5-year relative survival rate in Europe is 6% (De Angelis et al, 2014).

 

References:

De Angelis R, Sant M, Coleman MP, Francisci S, Baili P, Pierannunzio D, Trama A, Visser O, Brenner H, Ardanaz E, Bielska-Lasota M, Engholm G, Nennecke A, Siesling S, Berrino F, Capocaccia R; EUROCARE-5 Working Group. Cancer survival in Europe 1999-2007 by country and age: results of EUROCARE-5-a population-based study. Lancet Oncol. 2014;15(1):23-34.

EUCAN database: http://eco.iarc.fr/eucan/Default.aspx [Accessed 12th June 2015]. Ferlay J, Steliarova-Foucher E, Lortet-Tieulent J, Rosso S, Coebergh JWW, Comber H, Forman D, Bray F. Cancer incidence and mortality patterns in Europe: estimates for 40 countries in 2012. Eur J Cancer. 2013;49(6):1374-403.

Malvezzi M, Bertuccio P, Rosso T, Rota M, Levi F, La Vecchia C, Negri E. European cancer mortality predictions for the year 2015: does lung cancer have the highest death rate in EU women? Ann Oncol. 2015;26(4):779-86.

Rahib L, Smith BD, Aizenberg R, Rosenzweig AB, Fleshman JM, Matrisian LM2. Projecting cancer incidence and deaths to 2030: the unexpected burden of thyroid, liver, and pancreas cancers in the United States. Cancer Res. 2014;74(11):2913-21.