Decreased trend of pancreatic cancer mortality in iran.

BACKGROUND Pancreatic cancer is a fatal cancer with a 5-year survival of only about 4% for all tumors. There are only published data on mortality from pancreas cancer and its epidemiology in Iran. The aim of this study was to present the mortality trends from pancreatic cancer for the Iranian population, using national death statistics in order to provide update information for its burden. METHODS National Death Statistics reported by the Ministry of Health from 1999 to 2004 stratified by age group, sex, and cause of death were included in the analysis to generate pancreas cancer (ICD-10; 25) annual mortality rates/100,000, overall, by sex and by age group (< 15, 15-49 and ≥ 50 years of age) and age-standardized rates (ASRs). RESULTS The age standardized mortality rate of pancreatic cancer decreased slightly during the years under study. Values were higher for males and increased with age. CONCLUSION This study provides a projection of burden of death due to pancreatic cancer for Iran, indicating that the trend of its mortality is decreasing and may be leveling off in recent years.