Fig. 1

Direct age-adjusted mortality rates for pancreatic cancer in the 47 prefectures during the period 1968–2002. White level 1, yellow level 2, orange level 3, red level 4, black level 5 (see online version for color coding). Level 1 and level 5 were defined as the rates below the average beyond the standard deviation and the rates above the average beyond the standard deviation, respectively. Levels 2, 3, and 4 were defined as the rate of intertertile range within the standard deviation, in order of size. The maps at the top are for males, and the maps at the bottom are for females