Pancreatic Neuroendocrine and Exocrine Cancer Incidence, and Stage at Diagnosis Before, During, and After the COVID-19 Pandemic, United States, 2019-2022.

OBJECTIVES: We examined how incidence of pancreatic neuroendocrine and exocrine cancers changed during the COVID-19 pandemic. METHODS: Using population-based cancer registry data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's National Program of Cancer Registries and the National Cancer Institute's Surveillance Epidemiology, and End Results program, we examined incidence rates of pancreatic neuroendocrine and exocrine cancers before, during, and after the COVID-19 pandemic onset. RESULTS: Age-adjusted incidence rates for both pancreatic neuroendocrine and exocrine cancer decreased from 2019-2020, rebounded from 2020-2021, and stabilized from 2021-2022. Differences were observed by sex, race, age, and stage at diagnosis. Notably, the proportion of pancreatic cancers diagnosed at localized stage increased from 2020 to 2021. CONCLUSION: Incidence rates of pancreatic neuroendocrine and exocrine cancers have returned to pre-pandemic levels. The increase in cases diagnosed at a localized stage from 2020-2021 suggests that people resumed their routine medical care following the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, resulting in earlier detection and diagnosis of these cancers. Continuing to monitor pancreatic cancer incidence data is essential to better understand the pancreatic cancer disease burden.