Objective  To investigate the mortality and years of life lost of pancreatic cancer in Huzhou, Zhejiang province, from 2013 to 2020, and provide scientific evidence for the prevention and control of pancreatic cancer in the future.

  Methods  The death surveillance data in Huzhou from 2013 to 2020 were collected from Zhejiang Chronic Disease Surveillance Information Management System (ICD-10 code C25.0–C25.9), the crude mortality, standardized mortality, potential years of life lost (PYLL), working potential years of life lost (WPYLL) were calculated to understand the death level of pancreatic cancer and its effect on population health, the annual percentage change (APC) was used to analyze the trend of pancreatic cancer death.

  Results  From 2013 to 2020, a total of 2 455 deaths of pancreatic cancer were reported in Huzhou, accounting for 6.34% of all cancer deaths, the average age of the death cases was (70.45±10.95) years. The youngest was 27 years old and the oldest was 97 years old. The death component ratio of pancreatic cancer increased with time (P＜0.05), and the average death age of women was higher than that of men (P＜0.05). From 2013 to 2020, the crude mortality and the standardized mortality of pancreatic cancer in residents in Huzhou were 11.58/100 000 and 8.02/100 000. The crude mortality showed an upward trend (P＜0.05), but the difference in standardized mortality of pancreatic cancer had no significant difference. The crude mortality of pancreatic cancer was 13.48/100 000 in men and 9.68/100 000 in women, and the difference was significant (P＜0.05). Pancreatic cancer ranked fifth of death causes, but the ranking in women rose from fifth in 2013 to fourth in 2020. The crude mortality rate of pancreatic cancer increased with age (P＜0.05）. The deaths mainly occurred after the age of 45 years and peaked in age group 80-years. From 2013 to 2020, the mortality rate in the three groups (young, middle aged and old) of residents in Huzhou showed a significant increase. The mortality rate in the elderly group was highest, reaching 50.41/100 000. The PYLL and WPYLL caused by pancreatic cancer death were 10 002.50 and 3 903 person-years, the rates of PYLL and WPYLL were 0.52‰ and 0.20‰. The PYLL and WPYLL were higher in men than in women.

  Conclusion  The mortality rate of pancreatic cancer in Huzhou showed an increasing trend from 2013 to 2020. The ranking of pancreatic cancer in death causes in women moved ahead, and the elderly and men were the high-risk groups, the mortality rate in women showed an upward trend, to which close attention needs to paid. It is necessary to strengthen the health education about healthy life style, rational diet, limited smoking and alcohol, moderate exercise for the primary prevention of pancreatic cancer.