The temporal relation between cigarette smoking and pancreatic cancer.

Temporal trends in US cigarette smoking prevalence rates 1920 to 1978, were related to temporal trends in US pancreatic cancer mortality rates in both sexes. In males, the rise and fall in smoking prevalence was followed by a rise and recent fall in cancer rates. In females, the later rise in smoking prevalence has been accompanied by a rise in cancer rate, and a recent slight decline in smoking rate has been associated with a slowing of the rise in cancer rate.