Pancreatic cancer is the 10th most commonly diagnosed cancer in the United States, accounting for about 3% of all cancers and 7% of all cancer deaths, according to the American Cancer Society. Due to various factors, the disease is difficult to detect at an early stage, when it is more treatable.
Understanding Pancreatic Cancer
The pancreas gland, about 6 inches long and located in the abdomen, is surrounded by the stomach, small intestine, liver, spleen and gallbladder. Its two main functions are to aid in digestion and help regulate blood sugar.
Pancreatic cancer begins when abnormal cells within the gland grow out of control and form a tumor. These abnormal cells, or tumors, known as either exocrine (90%) or endocrine, can often spread to other areas of the body, including the liver, abdominal walls, lungs, bones and lymph nodes.
Because the pancreas is located deep in the abdomen, diagnosis is complicated. Tumors of the pancreas can only be seen on imaging studies, such as a computer tomography (CT) scan, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) or ultrasound. If detected, a tissue biopsy and/or blood test can help to confirm an exact diagnosis.
Signs and Symptoms
There may only be vague signs or symptoms, if any, in the early stages of pancreatic cancer, and some may mimic those of other illnesses. Warning signs can include:
• Jaundice (yellowing of the skin and and/or whites of the eyes) with or without itching
• Change in stools (light-colored stools and/or dark urine)
• Pain (usually in the upper or middle abdomen and back)
• Loss of appetite, weight loss and/or nausea
See your primary care doctor if you experience one or more of these symptoms.
Know Your Risk Factors
Pancreatic cancer does seem to run in some families due to inherited gene changes (mutations) that can be passed from a parent to children. In fact, about 10% of pancreatic cancers are hereditary. Talk with your physician if a first-degree relative (parent, sibling or child) has been diagnosed with pancreatic cancer; genetic testing may be recommended.
The chance of getting pancreatic cancer increases with age; most people diagnosed are over age 60. While the exact cause of pancreatic cancer is not well understood, the Pancreatic Cancer Action Network® cites common risk factors:
• People who have had diabetes for more than five years are more likely to develop pancreatic cancer.
• People who smoke cigarettes are two times more likely to develop pancreatic cancer than those who have never smoked. The risk of pancreatic cancer begins to drop as soon as a person stops smoking.
• Being very overweight increases the chances of developing pancreatic cancer. The risk is even higher in people who are obese during early adulthood.
• People with chronic pancreatitis are more likely to develop pancreatic cancer. Inflammation of the pancreas is common in people who consume large amounts of alcohol for many years.
• Gum disease or tooth loss appear to be linked to the disease.
• Exposure to certain heavy metals and environmental chemicals, including benzidine, pesticides, asbestos, chlorinated hydrocarbons and benzene, among others, may increase risk.
• Black Americans have a higher incidence of pancreatic cancer than other ethnicities.
It is important to note that many risk factors for developing the disease can be reduced by making positive lifestyle choices, such as eating a plant-based diet and staying physically active. Talk with your health care provider for direction on reducing your risks.
Promising Treatment Advances
Surgery, chemotherapy and radiation are standard treatments for the disease, but treatments are determined based on the unique needs of each patient.
Because there is no screening test to detect pancreatic cancer, most patients are diagnosed at later stages, which can limit treatment options because the cancer can no longer be removed with surgery or it may have spread to other parts of the body. If pancreatic cancer is detected at an early stage, when surgical removal of the tumor is possible, the five-year survival rate is 42%.
Scientists are learning more about the genetic changes that cause cancer at a rapid pace. Targeted treatments and new combinations of chemotherapy drugs used with traditional therapies are being studied in clinical trials and continue to show great promise for improving detection, diagnosis and patient survival rates.
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Recognized by the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) with a national Clinical Trials Participation Award, Florida Cancer Specialists & Research Institute (FCS) offers patients access to more clinical trials than any private oncology practice in Florida. The majority of new cancer drugs recently approved for use in the U.S. were studied in clinical trials with Florida Cancer Specialists participation.* Trained in prestigious medical schools and research institutes, our physicians are consistently ranked nationally as Top Doctors by U.S. News & World Report.
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