Pancreatic cancer set to become a leading cancer in Australia AFR

Pancreatic cancer set to become a leading cancer in Australia

JILL MARGO

It's a frightening thought but pancreatic cancer is likely to become a leading cause of cancer death in Australia.

According to an editorial in the MJA, it is the fifth most common cause of cancer death.

Although there has been a gradual increase in its incidence since the 1980s, it is likely to become more of a burden as other cancers become less so.

By way of example, the journal says between 1987 and 2007 there was only a 6 per cent drop in mortality from pancreatic cancer in Australia compared with a 34 per cent drop in lung cancer mortality.

It says current projections suggest that within 10 years, pancreatic cancer will be the second-highest cause of cancer death in the US as mortality and survival from the other four leading causes of cancer death – lung, bowel, prostate, and breast – improves.

"If these trends are reflected in Australia, we would anticipate that pancreatic cancer will become one of the leading causes of cancer mortality."

While the rise in pancreatic cancer incidence is slow, as the population ages, more people will be affected.