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The rising incidence of carcinoma of the pancreas—real or apparent?
Author(s) -
Krain Lawrence Stirling
Publication year - 1970
Publication title -
journal of surgical oncology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.201
H-Index - 111
eISSN - 1096-9098
pISSN - 0022-4790
DOI - 10.1002/jso.2930020206
Subject(s) - medicine , pancreatic cancer , epidemiology , incidence (geometry) , demography , environmental health , pancreas , cigarette smoke , population , cancer , pathology , physics , sociology , optics
An analysis of mortality statistics for the United States and selected countries was undertaken to determine whether there was a real or apparent rise in pancreatic cancer for the period 1910 through 1968. The rise was found to be real and threefold in magnitude when adjustments were made for the aging of the population. Rising percentage of histologic confirmation through time, increasing diagnostic accuracy, and classification change practices were all factors discussed, but discarded, as reasons for the rise. A literature review of real causes or associations for pancreatic cancer was performed and indicated that only the data on industrial carcinogen exposure and cigarette smoking show both the trend and the statistical magnitude of association to consider them as real causes or associations. A broader epidemiological approach is advisable both in considering other experimental associations and in tracing specific chemicals in cigarette smoke and industrial exposure.