World Facts

Countries With The Highest Incidence Of Pancreatic Cancer In The World

North America and Europe exhibit the highest incidence of pancreatic cancer in the world, and Asia and Africa the lowest.

Pancreas plays an important role in the digestive system by producing important enzymes and hormones that break down food and regulates the metabolism of sugar. Pancreatic functions can be lowered or affected by infections and diseases such as growth and cancers. Pancreatic cancer occurs when the cells in the pancreas multiply out of control and forms a mass of tumor. The cancerous cells in the pancreas can spread to other organs in the body. This type of cancer spreads very fast and has a poor prognosis even when diagnosed early.

There are different types of pancreatic cancer including pancreatic adenocarcinoma and neuroendocrine tumor. Pancreatic cancer is common among those over the age of 40 while the risk factors include obesity, tobacco smoking, diabetes and genetic conditions. Pancreatic cancer is common in the developed countries with over 55% of the cases reported in such countries. Some of the countries with the highest incidences of pancreatic cancers in the world include;

Countries With The Highest Incidence Of Pancreatic Cancer In The World

Czech Republic

Developed countries in Europe and North America continue to exhibit higher incidences of pancreatic cancers. The Czech Republic ranks first in both the incidences and mortalities related to pancreatic cancer. Over 2000 new cases of pancreatic cancer are reported in the country every year while 1500 deaths related to this type of cancer is also reported every year. More men are at risk of pancreatic cancer compared to women in the country. The apparent demographic aging and the change in lifestyle among the population of Czech Republic are some of the leading factors relating to the high prevalence of pancreatic cancer in the country.


Pancreatic cancer is the 11th leading cause of death in Slovakia. 1.6% or 720 of deaths reported in the country in 2014 were as a result of this type of cancer. The age-adjusted death rate was 9.4 for every 100000 people in the country. Pancreatic cancer is common among those between the ages of 50-64 in the country with a majority of men suffering from the disease. Change in lifestyle and smoking of tobacco are the leading causes of the major factors leading to this disease. The government of Slovakia has embarked on campaigns to enable for early detections and treatment of cancers including pancreatic cancer.


Cancer incidences are very common in Armenia with annual reported deaths of 8000 people. Some of the common cancers in the country include breast, prostate, liver and pancreatic cancers. Pancreatic cancer accounts for 1.46% or 501 deaths in the country annually. The age-standardized rate is 9.3 for every 100000 people ranking the country third highest after Slovakia and Czech Republic. Lack of palliative care and late diagnosis of pancreatic cancer in the country has led to the increased mortality. There are also limited healthcare facilities where the disease can be diagnosed thus pancreatic cancer is mostly detected at a very late stage.

Available Treatment Options

Pancreatic cancer is very tricky to treat because it grows and spread quickly. Treatment of pancreatic cancer is based on the extent of cancer. The most common treatment is the surgery to remove cancer cells. Chemotherapy and radiotherapy are also some of the typical treatment for less severe pancreatic cancer or cancer that recurs even after surgery. However, early detection of pancreatic cancer facilitates cheaper and quicker treatment in most patients.

Countries With The Highest Incidence Of Pancreatic Cancer In The World

RankCountryAge-Standardised Rate per 100,000 (World)
1Czech Republic9.7
10French Guyana8.1
10Republic of Moldova8.1

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