High-risk group of pancreas cancer death and its regional and age features Motomi YOKOTA The mortality rates of pancreas cancer in Japan shows sharply increase as compared with 1950 in both sexes. Pancreas cancer is especially difficult in early detection and the prognosis is less favorable. The cause of pancreas cancer remains almost unknown. It would be necessary to identify the relation between the specific cancer and its high risk group in order to prevent can cer. The purpose of this study

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... was to clarify the high risk region and age group of pancreas can cer death. As data sources, the statistical reports were utilized with regard to the number of deaths by pancreas cancer between the period of 1969 and 1997, and ledgers of national census from 1970 to 1995. The statistics of overall nation were divided into eight regional blocks . The mortality rates of pancreas cancer were calculated by the number of death and population . With regard to regional differences, the trends in the age-and sex-specific mortality rates of pancreas cancer was identified, then regression analysis between year and the age-specific mortality rates of pancreas cancer was conducted, and cohort analyses by every five years birth cohort was made . The mortality rates of pancreas cancer rose in accordance with aging . However, the death rates of 70 years old or older born after the year of 1910 were almost constant . The mortality rates of the same age group in Hokkaido and Tohoku regions were higher than those of other regions. The characteristics of these regions showed high intake of seafood . It was confirmed that the mortality rates of pancreas cancer would increase among males whose age between 40 and 50 years old in metropolitan areas such as Kanto, Tokai, and Kinki region .