Regional variations in mortality rates of pancreatic cancer in China: results from 1990-1992 national mortality survey.

Abstract

To examine the regional variations in mortality rates of pancreatic cancer in China. Aggregated mortality data of pancreatic cancer were extracted from the 1990-1992 national death of all causes and its mortality survey in China. Age specific and standardized mortality rates were calculated at both national and provincial levels with selected characteristics including sex and residence status. Mortality of pancreatic cancer ranked the ninth and accounted for 1.38 percent of the total malignancy deaths. The crude and age standardized mortality rates of pancreatic cancer in China in the period of 1990-1992 were 1.48/100,000 and 1.30/100,000, respectively. Substantial regional variations in mortality rates across China were observed with adjusted mortality rates ranging from 0.43/100,000 to 3.70/100,000 with an extremal value of 8.7. Urban residents had significant higher pancreatic mortality than rural residents. The findings of this study show different mortality rates of this disease and highlight the importance of further investigation on factors, which might contribute to the observed epidemiological patterns.