Pancreatitis, Pancreatic Cancer, and Their Metabolic Sequelae: Projected Burden to 2050

Future burden has been modeled from population-based data for several common gastrointestinal diseases. However, as we enter the third decade in the 21st century, there are no such data on diseases of the pancreas holistically. The study aimed to estimate future incidence of pancreatitis, pancreatic cancer, diabetes of the exocrine pancreas (DEP), and exocrine pancreatic dysfunction (EPD) as well as years of life lost (YLL) due to premature death in individuals with those diseases up to 2050.

Historical New Zealand nationwide data on hospital discharge, pharmaceutical dispensing, cancer, and mortality were obtained. Annual incidence of each disease and annual YLLs due to premature death in individuals with each disease were calculated. A time series analysis using the stepwise autoregressive method was conducted.

Pancreatitis yielded the highest projected incidence (123.7 per 100,000; 95% confidence interval, 116.7-130.7) and YLL (14,709 years; 13,642-15,777) in 2050. The projected incidence and YLL of pancreatic cancer were 18.6 per 100,000 (95% confidence interval, 13.1-24.1) and 14,247 years (11,349-17,144) in 2050, respectively. Compared with pancreatitis and pancreatic cancer, DEP and EPD yielded lower but more steeply increasing projected incidence rates and YLLs.

The findings suggest that the burden of pancreatitis, pancreatic cancer, DEP, and EPD will rise in the next 3 decades unless healthcare systems introduce effective prevention or early treatment strategies for diseases of the pancreas and their sequelae.