• It is a type of cancer that forms in the pancreas, most often in the exocrine cells, which produce digestive juices for the stomach. • Symptoms include yellow skin and eyes (jaundice), weight loss, fatigue, depression, reduced appetite, and pain near or around the pancreas.
• Common risk factors for pancreatic cancer include smoking, genetic predisposition, chronic pancreatitis, diabetes, and obesity.
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It is estimated that approximately 55,440 Americans will be diagnosed with pancreatic cancer in 2018. In the same period, 44,330 Americans are expected to die from it.
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Roughly 7% of all cancer deaths are attributed to pancreatic cancer.
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On average, the lifetime risk of developing pancreatic cancer is slightly higher for men, 1 in 63 than it is for women, 1 in 65.1
• Pancreatic cancer progresses through five stages, from Stage 0 (no spread) to Stage IV (confirmed spread, a.k.a. metastasis). • Current diagnostic methods include blood testing, physical examination, tumor marker testing, MRI/CT/PET scans, ultrasounds, endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP), percutaneous transhepatic cholangiography (PTC), laparoscopy, and biopsy.
• Early detection of pancreatic cancer is still very difficult. Roughly 45-55% of patients will be first diagnosed at Stage IV.2 • A pancreatic cancer diagnosis isn't necessarily considered fatal. However, survival rates are still low across all stages.
• The 5-year survival rate is 32% if the tumor is detected in an early stage and surgically removed.3
• Surgical efforts to remove diseased pancreatic tissue began as early as the 19th century. New surgical techniques were introduced by Dr. Allen Whipple in the 1930s. • The advent of blood transfusions increased survival rates, and surgery times shortened by 3.3 hours between the 1970s and the 2000s.
• Because surgery is only an option for about 20% of pancreatic cancer patients, treatments like chemotherapy, targeted drug therapy, and radiation therapy have been developed to treat advanced stages.4
• Because metastatic cancer is too widespread for surgical removal, chemotherapy is the first line of treatment. • Other aspects of health like digestion, appetite, and chronic disease management are also addressed to improve bodily function. Diabetes treatment is common due to disruption of insulin production. • Much of Stage IV treatment is palliative, focused on relieving discomfort. Stents may be used to clear bile duct blockages and painrelieving medications may be prescribed.
• Testing - Research published in the journal Cancer suggests that genetic tests for pancreatic cancer may be possible at the time of diagnosis. (August 2018) • Targeted Therapies - A team from the University of Houston has developed a gene-targeting drug capable of blocking cancer cells from spreading outside the pancreas. (September 2018) • Immunotherapy - Using patients' modified immune cells, researchers in London were able to perform controlled elimination of late-stage pancreatic cancer cells implanted in laboratory mice. All mice were cancer free after treatment. (August 2018)
Crystal Run Healthcare is a nationally-recognized provider of primary, specialty, and urgent care, as well as radiology, endoscopy, laboratory testing, and other healthcare services. We also help connect cancer patients with the best oncologist for their needs. Visit us online to learn more about the expert oncologists at Crystal Run Healthcare and easily book an appointment with many of our physicians or contact us if you need additional assistance.
1.
https://www.cancer.org/cancer/pancreatic-cancer/about/keystatistics.html
2.
https://www.cancer.net/cancer-types/pancreatic-cancer/stages
3.
https://www.cancer.net/cancer-types/pancreatic-cancer/statistics
4.
https://www.cancer.net/cancer-types/pancreatic-cancer/typestreatment