A new study shows prostate and pancreatic cancers are the fastest-growing killers among major cancers in South Korean men and women.   
 
A research team led by Professor Lim Dal-oh at the Department of Health Administration Department at Kongju National University tracked 13 major cancers for South Koreans between 1983 and 2012.
 
According to the research, the number of South Korean men who died from prostate cancer jumped 10-point-five times during that period. The number of female deaths caused by pancreatic cancer rose four times.
 
For both men and women, the death rate of stomach cancer declined faster than other cancers over the same period.
 
In 1983, stomach cancer had the highest death rate for men, followed by liver cancer and lung cancer. Lung cancer is now the biggest killer among cancers in men, followed by liver and stomach cancer. Lung cancer has also replaced stomach cancer as the most deadly among women.
 
The research team attributed the fast growing death rate of prostate cancer to obesity, excessive fat intake and lack of exercise.
 
The study shows the breakout of cancers to which Koreans were traditionally susceptible, such as stomach cancer and liver cancer, have fallen since 1983, while that of western style cancers have increased.