Pancreatic Cancer Incidence, Mortality, and Survival in Puerto Rico, 2001-2015

Objective: To perform an epidemiologic profile of pancreatic cancer (PC) in Puerto Rico (PR) with data gathered from 2001 to 2015. Methods: Using data from the PR Central Cancer Registry we estimated incidence and mortality rates and trends of PC in PR, and performed survival analyses. We also compared the age-standardized incidence and mortality rates of PC in people in PR with those of Hispanics, non-Hispanic whites, and non-Hispanic blacks in the United States (US). Results: From 2011 to 2015, 7.8 per 100,000 persons were diagnosed with PC in PR; higher rates were observed in men than in women (9.2 vs. 6.7 per 100,000, respectively) and in persons 65 years old and older (42.7 per 100,000 persons). For the same period, 6.7 per 100,000 persons died from PC; men and persons 65 years and older had higher mortality rates. Incidence and mortality trends of PC in PR increased from 2001-2015 (annual percent change [APC] = 3.8% and 1.9%, respectively (p<0.05). Lower risk of being diagnosed with and dying from PC was seen in PR than in members of several racial/ethnic groups in the US. The median survival time for PC cases diagnosed in PR during the period of 2008 to 2012 was 5.3 months. Conclusion: We observed increasing mortality rates and low survival in PC patients in PR. Research on access and response to treatment is needed to elucidate the reasons for the observed results and have a positive impact on PC burden and survival.