EPIDEMIOLOGY OF PANCREATIC-CANCER

This paper reviews recent trends in pancreatic cancer worldwide. The m ortality rate for pancreatic cancer is high in Denmark, Sweden, Finlan d, Ireland, and some other European countries, but it is low in Asian and southern European countries. A positive correlation was observed b etween geographical latitude and the mortality of pancreatic cancer. T his mortality has been declining in most countries except Czechoslovak ia, Federal Republic of Germany, Japan, Italy, France, and Spain; the trend is more maked in males than females. The reasons for the declini ng trend of pancreatic cancer in these countries are not clear, but a relationship is postulated between its decline and the declining trend in the smoking rate, especially among males. Risk factors for pancrea tic cancer that have been identified from previous studies are reviewe d. Recent studies suggest that occasional drinking of coffee might off er protection from pancreatic cancer. (C) 1998 Wiley-Liss, Inc.