Faculty Bibliography

Introduction Pancreatic cancer is one of the leading causes of death in both males and females in the United States. Nearly 85% of pancreatic cancer is adenocarcinoma. Given the silent disease progression of pancreatic cancer, identifying at-risk populations will help diagnose these fatal cancers as early as possible. Methods The United States Cancer Statistics (USCS) registry was used to obtain data for pancreatic adenocarcinoma from 2001 to 2015. The incidence analysis was stratified based on sex, race, stage, and US regional location. Results The overall incidence of pancreatic adenocarcinoma from 2001 to 2015 was 5.2 per 100,000 people per year. The overall incidence rates were the greatest for each stratification in males, blacks, distant disease, and in the Northeast. The incidence in blacks continued to rise with an annual percent change (APC) of 2.28 between 2001 and 2015. Between 2001 and 2006, the incidence of distant disease increased at a rapid rate (APC 5.34). However, after 2006, the incidence continued to increase but no longer at the previously rapid rate (APC 1.91). For incidence based on US regional location, the overall incidence was greatest in the Northeast and Midwest. The incidence in the South was increasing at an expeditious rate (APC 2.70). Conclusion In our study, we analyzed the incidence of pancreatic adenocarcinoma using data from all 50 states in the US. Our findings showed that there was a worsening incidence in blacks, those with a distant stage at diagnosis, and those in the North and Midwest. Ultimately our findings help identify at-risk populations and can contribute to improving surveillance of this deadly disease.

Introduction Esophageal cancer is one of the leading causes of death in males in the United States (US). Previous studies have analyzed incidence rates of esophageal cancer in the US using the data from the National Cancer Institute's Surveillance, Epidemiology and End Results (SEER) program. However, given its limited patient population, certain groups and regions in the US are underrepresented. Our study utilizes the United States Cancer Statistics (USCS) database, which combines the SEER database with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's (CDC) National Program of Cancer Registries (NPCR) to cover all 50 states to examine the incidence of esophageal cancer. Methods The USCS registry was used to obtain data for esophageal cancer from 2001 to 2015. Incidence analysis was stratified based on sex, race, stage, histology, and US regional location/histology. Results The overall incidence of esophageal cancer from 2001-2015 was 4.7 per 100,000 people per year. Overall incidence rates were greatest for each stratification in males, blacks, distant disease, adenocarcinoma, and those in the Midwest with adenocarcinoma. Blacks, compared to other races, had the greatest statistically significant decrease in incidence between 2001-2015 (annual percent change (APC) -4.55). The incidence rate is also increasing the most rapidly in those with adenocarcinoma in the Northeast from 2011 to 2015 (APC 2.16). Conclusion In our study, we were able to determine the incidence of esophageal cancer using data from all 50 states in the US. Our findings of decreasing incidence in blacks and increasing incidence of adenocarcinoma in the Midwest and Northeast help elucidate the at-risk populations. Moreover, our findings help bring to light risk factors that may be contributing to the development of esophageal cancer and how diagnosis and surveillance can be improved based on these risk factors.