Pancreatic death rates expected to rise in 2014- MediHelp International Press Release-28.07.2014

Research published last month by Italian and Swiss researchers shows that European pancreatic death rates are expected to rise in 2014, in opposition to all other cancer forms, which are expected to account for fewer fatalities than ever.

Pancreatic cancer is the only type of cancer expected to lead to more deaths than in the past years. For 2014 researchers predict that in Europe 41,300 men and 41,000 women will die from pancreatic cancer – meaning 8 and 5.6 deaths respectively per 100,000 of the population. Between 2000 – 2004 death rates from the disease were 7.6 per 100,000 in men and five per 100,000 in women.

For their research, scientists have gathered information on population and death certificate data from stomach, colorectal, pancreas, lung, breast, prostate and leukaemia and total cancers, from the World Health Organization and Eurostat. These data enabled them to predict 1,323,600 deaths (742,500 men and 581,100 women) from cancer in the EU in 2014. Compared to the most recent previous data available (for 2009), this figure means that the overall rates of cancer death will fall in 2014 for men by 7% and 5% for women.
“The need for qualitative healthcare becomes more and more pressing nowadays. Unfortunately, cancer patients need to undergo complicated procedures, which are not always available in hospitals in Romania. This is why a comprehensive private health insurance is truly a safety net. Such an insurance product offers access to the best specialists in the world, the newest procedures, and top of the range facilities, offering a fighting chance for the affected. Our experience shows that MediHelp policy holders who had access to early detection and better treatment could “give a good fight” to this unfortunate illness.”, says Zahal Levy, President of MediHelp International.

Apart from pancreatic cancer, the only other type that is predicted to produce more deaths than in the past is lung cancer in women. Researchers say that in 2014 it will record an 8% growth in fatalities caused by this illness.

For their study, researchers have calculated age-specific numbers of deaths and rates, stratified by five-year age groups (from 0-4 to 80+ years) and by calendar year. In addition, they computed age-systematized rates per 100,000 men and women, at all ages, based on the world standard population for all evaluated cancers and countries. A logarithmic Poisson count data point regression model was fitted to each five-year, age-specific number of certified deaths to determine the most recent trend segment.

Study sources:
• http://www.healio.com/hematology-oncology/gastrointestinal-cancer/news/online/%7B0d5b6cb3-83e6-4b91-af38-f631a1ea1f4d%7D/european-mortality-rates-from-pancreatic-cancer-predicted-to-increase-in-2014
• http://pancreaticcanceraction.org/news/pancreatic-cancer-death-rates-predicted-rise-2014-europe/