[Epidemiology of cancer of the pancreas. Current data]

In view of the poor prognosis of pancreatic cancer, improvements in our knowledge of its epidemiology are desirable. The present study describes its main geographical and chronological features and presents an up-to-date view of the principal risk factors associated with that disease. Mortality from pancreatic cancer is characterized by its increase with age, its predominance among males and its preferential ethnic and geographical distribution. The most striking point, however, is the increase of incidence noted since 1950, with an as yet unexplained tendency to stabilization. Among the various risk factors suspected of being associated with pancreatic cancer, only tobacco smoking seems to be well established. The methodological problems encountered in analytical studies explain that the role of nutritional, occupational and associated pathological factors remains hypothetical in the present state of our knowledge.