Incidence was derived from published data from 2 population-based registries-the Philippine Cancer Society-Manila Cancer Registry and the Department of Health-Rizal Cancer Registry, which covered 8.5 million residents (1990 census) of a 1,674 square kilometer area that comprises Metro Manila and Rizal province. Thirteen registry clerks actively sought new cancer cases in 96 hospitals and 30 Civil Registry offices. Both registries are members of the International Association of Cancer Registries and receive continuing professional assistance from the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC). For the period 1988-1992 the combined age-standardized incidence rates (ASR) of pancreas cancer in males was 4.2 per 100,000 (ranked eleventh) and 3.2 per 100,000 in females (ranked fourteenth). Pancreas cancer rates for both sexes were lower than those observed among North America and European populations. Within region, Philippine rates were lower than Japanese, Korean, Chinese and Singaporean Chinese, but were higher than Vietnamese and Thai populations. Among males, the increase in age-specific rates were highest among those 55 years and older, and at age-group 65 years and older among females. There were significant differences in rates between some cities and municipalities, with the rates in some highly urbanized cities two to three times those seen in rural areas. Average annual rates among males and females had hardly changed in the 13-year period between 1980-1992 but total cases had tripled. ASRs of Filipino male migrants of the U.S.A were similar to that observed among Filipinos residing in the Philippines. Female migrants to San Francisco and Los Angeles had higher rates than Philippine residents