[Pancreas carcinoma].

Pancreatic cancer mortality has appreciably increased for both sexes in Italy over the last few decades, although Italian rates are still relatively low or a European scale (7.0/100000 men, 4.1/100000 women, world standard). These rises are likely due, at least in part, to improved diagnosis and certification of the disease, and are related to increased exposure to tobacco smoking-the best recognised risk factor for the disease-in subsequent generations of Italian men and women. Besides cigarette smoking, pancreatitis is a recognised risk factor for pancreatic cancer, although it accounts only for a small proportion of cases, whereas a potential association with diabetes mellitus is restricted-or stronger-to the few years before diagnosis of the disease. A diet rich in fats and poor in fresh fruits and vegetables is apparently related to increased risk, but the dietary correlates of pancreatic cancer are still poorly understood. No consistent association has been reported between coffee and alcohol consumption and pancreatic cancer risk.