Smoking, diabetes, chronic pancreatitis or inflammation of the pancreas, family history of pancreatic cancer, and certain genetic syndromes are all known risk factors.
Pancreatic cancer isn't common, but it is one of the deadliest types of cancer. That's because symptoms usually don't surface until the cancer is already in late stages, making it difficult to treat.
Pancreatic cancer occurs when cells in your pancreas mutate (change) and multiply out of control, forming a tumor. Your pancreas is a gland in your abdomen (belly), between your spine and stomach. It makes hormones that control blood-sugar levels and enzymes that aid in digestion.
Some growths in the pancreas are simply benign (not cancer), while others might become cancer over time if left untreated (known as precancers).
Early signs of pancreatic cancer
Dark-colored urine. Itchy skin. Digestive problems, including abnormal stools, nausea or vomiting. Pain in the upper abdomen, which may extend to the back.
Up to 10 percent of patients who receive an early diagnosis become disease-free after treatment. For patients who are diagnosed before the tumor grows much or spreads, the average pancreatic cancer survival time is 3 to 3.5 years.
Pancreatic cancer can cause a dull pain in your upper tummy (abdomen), which may spread to your back. To begin with, the pain may come and go, but as the tumour becomes larger and more advanced, the pain may be more constant and last longer. The pain is often worse when you lie down or after you've eaten.
There is no single cause of pancreatic cancer, but several environmental factors are associated with an increased risk of developing pancreatic cancer. These include tobacco use, obesity, African American race, chronic pancreatitis, and a strong family history (see Genetics).
Pancreatic cancer is seldom detected at its early stages when it's most curable. This is because it often doesn't cause symptoms until after it has spread to other organs. Pancreatic cancer treatment options are chosen based on the extent of the cancer.
The 5-year relative survival rate for pancreatic cancer in the United States is 12%. The survival rates for pancreatic cancer vary based on several factors. These include the stage of cancer, a person's age and general health, and how well the treatment plan works.
The main symptom of pancreatitis is pain felt in the upper left side or middle of the abdomen. The pain: May be worse within minutes after eating or drinking at first, more commonly if foods have a high fat content. Becomes constant and more severe, lasting for several days.
Treatment of pancreatic cancer that is locally advanced may include the following: Chemotherapy with or without targeted therapy. Chemotherapy and chemoradiation. Surgery (Whipple procedure, total pancreatectomy, or distal pancreatectomy).
How common is pancreatic cancer? The American Cancer Society's estimates for pancreatic cancer in the United States for 2023 are: About 64,050 people (33,130 men and 30,920 women) will be diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. About 50,550 people (26,620 men and 23,930 women) will die of pancreatic cancer.
Specifically, by performing genomic analyses (whole genome and RNA sequencing) on 421 PC cases, authors were able to demonstrate that patients with tumors of the body and tail had significantly worse survival than those with pancreatic head tumors (12.1 vs. 22.0 months; P=0.001) (106).
In fact, more than 80 percent of a pancreatic tumor is comprised of cells that are not malignant cancer cells.
The procedure takes 4-12 hours. Recovery in the hospital can last 7-14 days. Healing at home takes about 2 weeks. You can return to normal life after 4-6 weeks.
Unfortunately, chemotherapy doesn't help everyone with pancreatic cancer. Some people will feel better with treatment and some may live longer. But some people having chemotherapy won't get much benefit at all. You might want to consider the benefits and disadvantages of treatment before deciding whether to have it.
Typical warning signs of pancreatic cancer include: Recent rise in blood sugar levels. Back or abdominal pain. Recent weight loss.
Stress works via pancreatic nerves
Within the pancreas, catecholamines drive production of molecules that stimulate nerve growth around tumors. Those new nerves, in turn, promote tumor development and make more catecholamines(link is external and opens in a new window), perpetuating the cycle.
About 95% of people with pancreatic cancer die from it, experts say. It's so lethal because during the early stages, when the tumor would be most treatable, there are usually no symptoms. It tends to be discovered at advanced stages when abdominal pain or jaundice may result.
Your doctor may test your blood for specific proteins (tumor markers) shed by pancreatic cancer cells. One tumor marker test used in pancreatic cancer is called CA19-9. It may be helpful in understanding how the cancer responds to treatment.
Most people who develop pancreatic cancer are older than 45. In fact, 90% are older than 55 and 70% are older than 65. However, adults of any age can be diagnosed with pancreatic cancer, as can children rarely.
Additional risk factors for developing pancreatic cancer include: Age : Most cases of pancreatic cancer develop between the ages of 60 and 80 years. Gender : Pancreatic cancer is more common in men than in women. Race : African Americans have higher incidences of pancreatic cancer than whites, Asians or Hispanics.
We estimate that the average T1-stage pancreatic cancer progresses to T4 stage in just over 1 year.