Pancreatic cancer
The risk of developing pancreatic cancer increases with age.
Pancreatic cancer has few and diffuse symptoms that often lead to the disease being detected late.
The majority of patients with pancreatic cancer cannot undergo surgery either because of advanced cancer, metastasis or because of advanced age and comorbidities that are not compatible with surgical treatment.
In Norway, around 800 patients die of pancreatic cancer each year, and only one in ten survives the disease.
New cases
461 men and 507 women were diagnosed with pancreatic cancer in Norway in 2023. The annual incidence has essentially been stable for both sexes, but with signs of a moderate increase among the oldest.
Incidence rates by age group and gender. From figure Figure 2.2 in Annual Report for the Quality register for Pancreatic Cancer 2023. (Norwegian only).
There is mainly a stable incidence rate for both sexes and all age groups, with a slight increase for both men and women over the age of 65.
Aging
Pancreatic cancer mainly affects people over the age of 60, and the median age at diagnosis was 73 years in the period 2019-2023. However, cases under the age of 40 are also registered annually.
Incidence rates divided by 5-year age groups and sex. From Figure 2.3 from Annual Report for the Quality register for Pancreatic Cancer 2023
The figure shows an incidence rate of pancreatic cancer cases divided into age groups. The incidence of pancreatic cancer increases steadily with age (from the age of 40) and slightly more among men.
The risk of being diagnosed with pancreatic cancer before the age of 80 is small and estimated at 1.5 % for men and 1.2 % for women.
Survival
Survival after pancreatic cancer is low, with five-year relative survival estimated at 8,7 % for men and 9,8 % for women.
Surgery, possibly in combination with chemotherapy, is the only available treatment that can potentially cure this disease. The poor prognosis is mainly due to the fact that most cases (>80%) are diagnosed at a stage where surgery is no longer possible. The effect of life-prolonging chemotherapy is also limited for this patient group (Huang et al., 2018; Kamisawa et al., 2016).
The disease often results in a rapid and pronounced weakening of the general condition, and as many as 40 per cent of patients receive no cancer treatment at all.
Overall survival, all pancreatic cancer patients. From fig. 2.21 from Annual Report for the Quality register for Pancreatic Cancer 2023.
For the relatively few patients (<20%) who can be have surgery with curative intent, the prognosis is better (Huang et al., 2018; Huang et al., 2019). For those who have had surgery, 1- and 5-year survival has increased to over 80% and over 20%, respectively. There is nevertheless a very large proportion of these patients who relapse and progress of the disease, and 5-year survival is below 40% for this patient group as well.
For those who have not had surgery, the 5-year survival is unchanged, while the 1-year survival seems to increase somewhat over time. Introduction of modern chemotherapy (FOLFIRINOX) in the palliative and perioperative setting may have contributed to the improvement of the 1-year survival for those not have not had surgery and the long-term survival of those who have had surgery. Modern perioperative treatment and centralization of resectability assessment and surgery have probably also been a contributing factor.
Pancreatic cancer survivors
As of 31.12.2023, 1,782 of the patients, who at some point in their disease history were diagnosed with pancreatic cancer, were alive in Norway. 233 people are long-term survivors, i.e. people who were diagnosed more than 10 years ago.
Number of deaths
512 men and 451 women died of pancreatic cancer in Norway in 2022.
Development over time
From 1990-2023, there is mainly a stable incidence rate for both sexes and all age groups, with a slight increase for men over 65 years and women over 75 years. There has been a very modest development in survival in the same period, but for those who have had surgery, the development is positive. This is probably due to better diagnostics and better multimodal treatment.
Trends in incidence (dark blue), mortality (light blue) and 5-year relative survival (green) of pancreatic cancer in the period 1990-2023.
Trends for women in incidence (red), mortality (pink) and 5-year relative survival (brown) for pancreatic cancer in the period 1990-2023
Quality registry for pancreatic cancer
In December 2019, the Norwegian Cancer Society gave money to develop and operate a quality registry for pancreatic cancer, with a framework of three years.
The quality registry for pancreatic cancer shall contribute to strengthening the quality of health care for patients with pancreatic cancer. The registry shall also conduct, promote and provide a basis for research to develop new knowledge about the causes, course of the disease and the effect of the treatment provided.
Examples of results from the Pancreas Register Annual Report 2023 (Norwegian only):
Risk factors
Why som people develop pancreatic cancer and others do not is usually unknown. You can still make som choices that can help reduce the risk, even if you have no guarantee against cancer.
This is how the risk can be reduced:
- Be non-smoking
- Limit alcohol consumption
- Avoid overweight and obesity
- Follow rules for hazardous substances in the workplace, e.g. from paints, printing inks and metal
- Have a healthy diet
- Be physically active
Factors that may increase the risk:
- Previous cancer
- Long-term chronic inflammation of the pancreas (pancreatitis)
- Some other diseases, such as diabetes, stomach ulcers, infection with hepatitis B and some infections of the mouth
Pancreatic cancer is rarely caused by inheritance.
Source: helsenorge.no
Read about cancer prevention on kreftregisteret.no
Steps you can take to reduce your risk of getting pancreatic cancer
- Be smoke-free
- Limit alcohol consumption
- Keep a healthy body weight, avoid overweight and obesity
- Follow rules when handling dangerous substances in the workplace, such as paints, printing inks, metal and machine work, or diesel and traffic pollution
- Have a healthy diet and limit the amount of red and processed meats as well as foods with saturated fats
- Be physically active
Source: helsenorge.no
Read more about symptoms and risk factors at helsenorge.no
Read more about cancer prevention - all cancers
Questions about cancer
The Cancer Registry of Norway is a research institution. Our professionals therefore do not answer questions about diagnosis, assessment, treatment and follow-up from patients or their relatives.
Questions about this should be directed to your own GP, treating institution or the Cancer Society Advisory Service tel: 21 49 49 21
Useful Links
Facts about pancreatic cancer - Kreftforeningen