Pancreatic cancer statistics - Key Facts

• Pancreatic cancer is the tenth most common cancer in the UK.
• Around 8,100 people were diagnosed with pancreatic cancer in 2008 in the UK, that’s around 22 people every day.
• Pancreatic cancer is the eleventh most common cancer in men, with around 4,000 new cases diagnosed in 2008 in the UK.
• Around 4,100 women were diagnosed with pancreatic cancer in the UK in 2008, making it the eighth most common cancer in women.
• More than 8 in 10 cases of pancreatic cancer occur in people aged 60 and over.
• Pancreatic cancer rates for men declined slightly between the late 1970s and mid-1990s, and since then have remained stable.
• Pancreatic cancer rates for women declined between the late 1980s and late 1990s, but since then have gradually increased.
• Worldwide, around 279,000 people were diagnosed with pancreatic cancer in 2008.

Read more in depth UK pancreatic cancer incidence statistics.

section updated 13/01/12

• Overall, pancreatic cancer has a poor prognosis. By the time someone has symptoms, goes to their doctor and is diagnosed, the disease is very often quite advanced.
• The one-year survival rate for pancreatic cancer has more than doubled since the 1970s, however the rate is still low with only around 16-17% of patients surviving their disease.
• Younger pancreatic cancer patients have better survival rates than older patients.
• Around 3% of pancreatic cancer patients survive the disease for five years or more.

Read more in depth pancreatic cancer survival statistics.

• Pancreatic cancer is the fifth most common cause of cancer death in the UK.
• About 8,000 people in the UK died from pancreatic cancer in 2009 in the UK, that's around 22 people every day.
• Worldwide, around 266,000 people died from pancreatic cancer in 2008.

Read more in depth UK pancreatic cancer mortality statistics.

section updated 13/01/12

• More than 1 in 4 pancreatic cancers in the UK are caused by smoking.
• People with type I or II diabetes have roughly twice the risk of developing pancreatic cancer.
• Chronic pancreatitis (inflammation of the pancreas) is associated with increased risk of pancreatic cancer.
• Obesity increases the risk of pancreatic cancer.
• Eating processed meat may increase risk of pancreatic cancer.
• People with a family history of pancreatic cancer have a higher risk of developing the disease.

Read more in depth pancreatic cancer risk factors.

section updated 13/01/12

*age-standardised to the European population

More detailed pancreas cancer statistics can be found using these links: incidence, survival, mortality and risk factors.

section updated 13/01/12