European Cancer Information System: its role on Pancreatic Cancer surveillance
Abstract
Introduction: Pancreatic cancer (PC) is the fourth leading cause of cancer death in Europe. The European Cancer Information System (ECIS) provides cancer incidence and mortality (I&M) data reported by Population-Based Cancer Registries (PBCRs). The aim was to explore geographical and time trend differences in PC I&M across Europe
Methods: Age-standardised I&M rates were extracted from ECIS for cases ≥20 years, stratified by PBCR, sex and age group (20-49; ≥50 years) and 95% confidence intervals (95%CI) were estimated. Geographic analyses included PBCRs with data available from 2019 onward. Male to female ratios and mortality-to-incidence ratios (M:I) were computed. Annual percent changes (APC) in I&M were estimated using Joinpoint regression in PBCRs with at least 10 calendar years of available data
Results: Thirty-six PBCRs from 18 countries were analysed. Incidence ranged from 14.5 (95%CI: 14.0-15.0) to 32.4 (95%CI: 29.7-35.1) per 100,000 person-year in males and from 11.1 (95%CI: 10.7-11.5) to 25.2 (95%CI: 23.6-26.8) in females, with German PBCRs that cover the extremes. The highest mortality rates were observed in Castelló (Spain) 48 (95%CI: 41.4-54.6) in males and 29.8 (95%CI: 25.1-34.5) in females, and the lowest in Brandenburg-Berlin (Germany) for males 15.3 (95%CI: 14.9-15.7) and in Agrigento (Italy) for females 8.8 (95%CI: 4.7-12.9). Sex ratio was >1 for I&M in most PBCRs. M:I ratios were close to 1 in 90% of PBCRs. In the 20-49 age group, incidence APCs in both sexes and mortality APCs in females were stable in over 80% of PBCRs, but mortality APCs in males decreased significantly in 30%. Among ≥50 age groups, incidence APCs increased significantly in both sex in 40% while mortality APCs increased in 30% of PBCRs
Conclusions: This study highlights the value of ECIS as a harmonised source of high‑quality population‑based data for cancer surveillance in Europe, providing essential information to guide and strengthen cancer control programmes
Key messages: • Pancreatic cancer shows pronounced geographic heterogeneity in incidence and mortality across Europe, with temporal trends varying by age and predominantly affecting older adults
• The European Cancer Information System advances insight and surveillance of pancreatic cancer, empowering more effective public health action
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BibTeX
@article{barrachinabonet2026european,
title = {{European Cancer Information System: its role on Pancreatic Cancer surveillance}},
author = {L Barrachina-Bonet and G Bargues-Navarro and E González-Cantó and N Canós-Puente and C Martos and C Cavero-Carbonell},
journal = {The European Journal of Public Health},
year = {2026},
month = oct,
doi = {10.1093/eurpub/ckag169.647},
url = {https://doi.org/10.1093/eurpub/ckag169.647},
note = {CC BY-NC 4.0},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - European Cancer Information System: its role on Pancreatic Cancer surveillance
AU - L Barrachina-Bonet
AU - G Bargues-Navarro
AU - E González-Cantó
AU - N Canós-Puente
AU - C Martos
AU - C Cavero-Carbonell
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/10/01
JO - The European Journal of Public Health
DO - 10.1093/eurpub/ckag169.647
UR - https://doi.org/10.1093/eurpub/ckag169.647
AB - Introduction: Pancreatic cancer (PC) is the fourth leading cause of cancer death in Europe. The European Cancer Information System (ECIS) provides cancer incidence and mortality (I&M) data reported by Population-Based Cancer Registries (PBCRs). The aim was to explore geographical and time trend differences in PC I&M across Europe Methods: Age-standardised I&M rates were extracted from ECIS for cases ≥20 years, stratified by PBCR, sex and age group (20-49; ≥50 years) and 95% confidence intervals (95%CI) were estimated. Geographic analyses included PBCRs with data available from 2019 onward. Male to female ratios and mortality-to-incidence ratios (M:I) were computed. Annual percent changes (APC) in I&M were estimated using Joinpoint regression in PBCRs with at least 10 calendar years of available data Results: Thirty-six PBCRs from 18 countries were analysed. Incidence ranged from 14.5 (95%CI: 14.0-15.0) to 32.4 (95%CI: 29.7-35.1) per 100,000 person-year in males and from 11.1 (95%CI: 10.7-11.5) to 25.2 (95%CI: 23.6-26.8) in females, with German PBCRs that cover the extremes. The highest mortality rates were observed in Castelló (Spain) 48 (95%CI: 41.4-54.6) in males and 29.8 (95%CI: 25.1-34.5) in females, and the lowest in Brandenburg-Berlin (Germany) for males 15.3 (95%CI: 14.9-15.7) and in Agrigento (Italy) for females 8.8 (95%CI: 4.7-12.9). Sex ratio was >1 for I&M in most PBCRs. M:I ratios were close to 1 in 90% of PBCRs. In the 20-49 age group, incidence APCs in both sexes and mortality APCs in females were stable in over 80% of PBCRs, but mortality APCs in males decreased significantly in 30%. Among ≥50 age groups, incidence APCs increased significantly in both sex in 40% while mortality APCs increased in 30% of PBCRs Conclusions: This study highlights the value of ECIS as a harmonised source of high‑quality population‑based data for cancer surveillance in Europe, providing essential information to guide and strengthen cancer control programmes Key messages: • Pancreatic cancer shows pronounced geographic heterogeneity in incidence and mortality across Europe, with temporal trends varying by age and predominantly affecting older adults • The European Cancer Information System advances insight and surveillance of pancreatic cancer, empowering more effective public health action
SN - 1101-1262
SN - 1464-360X
ER -