[Temporo-spatial epidemiology of cancer of the pancreas. Study of international and French mortality]

Abstract

The aim of this study was to describe the main geographical and chronological epidemiologic characteristics of the mortality rates for pancreatic cancer (PC) in France and in other countries. The international geographical study shows PC standardized rates ranging from 3.1 to 9.9/100,000 for men and from 2.1 to 7.2/100,000 for women. Higher rates are observed in Northern and Eastern Europe, as well as in North America. In France, mortality rates decrease from the North-East to the South-West of the country. During the period 1950-1980, the median annual increase in PC mortality rates was 3 p. 100 for men, and 2.5 p. 100 for women in the countries studied. The increase was greater where initial PC mortality rates were low. This trend has slowed down during the last ten years (1971-1980). In France, annual PC mortality rates have increased more for men (+ 3.46 p. 100) than for women (+ 1.94 p. 100). There is evidence of an increased PC mortality rate from one generation to another. Cohort analysis points to a significant stabilization of PC mortality rates for women in France.