Pancreas cancer is characterized by a rapid and fatal outcome. It is a non-communicable disease showing increasing incidence mainly in Europe, North America and Japan. In the Czech Republic, the incidence of pancreas cancer has more than tripled over the last 50 years. The pancreas cancer incidence and mortality rates are practically identical in this country. The standardized incidence rates (world standard) are 10.4 in men and 7.1 in women, with the Czech Republic ranking the sixth and fourth in the world, respectively. The standardized mortality rates are 10.4 and 7.2, respectively, with the Czech Republic ranking the fourth and sixth to seventh in the world, respectively. Very rapid fatality is also indicative of the seriousness of the disease whose median survival ranges from three to six months.

        Key words: epidemiology – pancreas cancer – incidence – mortality.