What Is Pancreatic Cancer
Pancreatic cancer occurs when malignant cells develop in part of the pancreas. This may affect how the pancreas works, including the functioning of the exocrine or endocrine glands. Pancreatic cancer can occur in any part of the pancreas, but about 70% of pancreatic cancers are located in the head of the pancreas.
Exocrine tumours make up more than 95% of pancreatic cancers. The most common type, an adenocarcinoma, starts in the cells lining the pancreatic duct.
About 5% of pancreatic cancers are pancreatic neuroendocrine tumours . These start in the endocrine cells.
Pancreatic cancer is the eight most common cancer in both men and women in Australia, excluding non-melanoma skin cancers.
Pancreatic cancer is the fifth most common cause of cancer death over all.
It is estimated that 4261 new cases of pancreatic cancer will be diagnosed in Australia in 2021.
The five year survival rate for pancreatic cancer is 11%.
Survival For Pancreatic Cancer
Pancreatic cancer is often diagnosed at an advanced stage. Your outlook is better if your cancer hasn’t spread and you can have surgery to remove it.
Survival depends on many factors. No one can tell you exactly how long you will live.
Below are general statistics based on large groups of people. Remember, they cant tell you what will happen in your individual case.
The Relationship Between Prognosis And General Clinical Features
Similar to some previous reports , we found that sex and age had no effect on the prognosis of patients with PC. The conclusion of whether diabetes affected the prognosis of PC was still inconsistent. A meta-analysis showed that patients with PC with diabetes had shorter survival time and more complications. However, Cheon et al., reported that patients with PC did show a significant difference in survival time regardless of whether they had diabetes, and those with high glycated hemoglobin level had a shorter survival time. In our study, we found that diabetes history was not associated with the prognosis of PC, which still need further detailed study.
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Moffitt Cancer Centers Approach To Pancreatic Cancer Treatment
Within Moffitt Cancer Centers Gastrointestinal Oncology Program, our pancreatic cancer patients not only have access to some of the best surgeons in the country but also benefit from the latest treatment options, a wide range of clinical trials and compassionate support, all of which are provided in a single, convenient location. Moffitt is the only National Cancer Institute-designated Comprehensive Cancer Center based in Florida, and we remain positioned firmly at the forefront of cancer research, with survival rates that exceed national averages.
If you have questions about the pancreatic cancer survival rate, call Moffitt Cancer Center at or submit a new patient registration form online. You are a top priority for a cancer center that delivers nationally ranked care in new and transformative ways, and you can connect with one of our cancer experts within a day.
Star Trek Actor Jonathan Frakes Discusses His Mission To Save Lives From Pancreatic Cancer
PanCAN Celebrity Ambassador Jonathan Frakes
PanCAN
A common Star Trek phrase over the years has been Live Long and Prosper and actor & director Jonathan Frakes, arguably best known for playing Commander William Riker on Star Trek: The Next Generation , is now turning those optimistic words into real action as he teams up with Pancreatic Cancer Action Network to help get the word out about the disease and to educate each of us today on how we can best live up to that iconic Star Trek phrase.
Pancreatic cancer unfortunately hits very close to home for Frakes. His brother, Daniel, was diagnosed with the disease and ultimately lost his life to it in 1997. In recent years, Frakes was able to turn his pain into purpose when he encountered his friend and fellow Star Trek actor Kitty Swink at a going away party.
Frakes says, recalling his conversation with Swink, She said, Would you like to help out with this PanCAN society? I said, I would be happy to. So, this is now my third year. Kitty is an 18-year pancreatic cancer survivor, which is astounding.
Swink and Frakes have since teamed up to create the PanCAN PurpleStride team with Trek Against Pancreatic Cancer, raising tens of thousands of dollars as they spread the word about PanCANs vital work. So, what exactly is the mission today at PanCAN?
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Depression And Pancreatic Cancer
Joseph says, “I was diagnosed in October 2016. During the summer of 2016, I started having serious and deep depressive episodes. Which was odd, because my life was going really well. I actually was having suicidal thoughts. I sought some help via a therapist, and that took some of the air out of the balloon. Researchers have made a connection between depression and pancreatic cancer, with depression being a warning sign that something is wrong in the body. That was the case for me.”6254a4d1642c605c54bf1cab17d50f1e
There’s been plenty of studies that link depression and pancreatic cancer, including a 2018 case study, “The prevalence of major depressive disorder in pancreatic cancer has been reported up to 7 times higher than the general population. Despite repeated studies that show worse quality of life, survival outcomes, and treatment compliance in cancer patients with depression, baseline antidepressant use ranges from 15% to 27%.” Another study states, “Clinical Depression occurs in up to 50% of patients with pancreatic cancer, and is significantly more common than in other cancers. Accumulating evidence suggests a potential role for endogenous cytokines, specifically interleukin-1 , interleukin-6 and tumor necrosis factor alpha in the development of depression in the medically ill, including cancer patients. These same cytokines have been noted to be elevated in pancreas cancer patients.”
What You Can Do
If youve been diagnosed with pancreatic cancer, there may not be much you can do to alter outcome based solely on lifestyle changes. However, eat a healthy diet and keep active if you can. It is possible that these types of changes can improve general health and performance status, which can lead to better outcomes, not to mention a better quality of life.
If youre looking to prevent pancreatic cancer , its always a good time to quit smoking . After 10 years, your pancreatic cancer risk will be the same as a non-smoker. Sadly, if youve already got a diagnosis, theres no evidence that quitting smoking actually increases survival times, though it would likely make you feel better.
Losing weight might also sound like a good idea, and it would be if youre trying to prevent pancreatic cancer, diabetes, and other health problems. But if youre already diagnosed, its not wise to embark on a weight-loss program while undergoing chemotherapy.
What you can do is make sure youre eating the right foods and you have the right medications to help you digest food. Pancreatic cancer patients often need to be prescribed digestive enzymes to help with digestion.
Before embarking on any lifestyle intervention, speak with your oncologist.
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Physical Status After Treatment
Getting the right nutrition and keeping physically active as much as possible under the circumstances can really impact how a patient tolerates the side effects of treatment and the symptoms of pancreatic cancer.
Younger patients tend to do better because they have fewer other conditions that may limit recovery, but even older patients can positively impact their prognosis by focusing on nutrition and exercise.
Talk to your doctor about what to expect after treatment and what you can do to get the best possible prognosis.
Why Is Pancreatic Cancer So Deadly
Compared to other cancers, pancreatic cancer is relatively rare. But it is the third leading cause of cancer death in the United States. Only about 8.5% of patients with pancreatic cancer are alive five years after their diagnosis. This one of the lowest survival rates for any kind of cancer.
There are three main reasons pancreatic cancer is so deadly, explains Conan Kinsey, MD, PhD, a physician-scientist who treats patients with pancreatic cancer at Huntsman Cancer Institute and University of Utah Health. First, its most often diagnosed late.
The earlier pancreatic cancer is caught, the better chance a person has of surviving. But most patients dont have symptoms of pancreatic cancer in earlier stages. Only 10% of patients are diagnosed when the cancer is in just the pancreas and may be removed by surgery. It is often discovered after the cancer has spread, when patients have symptoms such as jaundice, pain, and weight loss. Currently, there is no way to screen for pancreatic cancer.
The pancreas is also located in what Kinsey calls high-price real estate, or an important part of the body. The pancreas is surrounded by several blood vessels, which can make surgery tricky. The main parts of the gut are in that area as well.
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What Is The Five
In the U.S., the overall five-year relative survival rate for pancreatic cancer is 9%, meaning that about nine out of 100 patients will still be alive five years after their diagnosis. This rate refers to all stages and types of pancreatic cancer diagnoses. However, survival rates do vary between stages and according to other factors, such as age, overall health, and location of the primary tumor within the pancreas.
Pancreatic tumors can be exocrine or endocrine, depending on the type of pancreas cell where they start. The most common type of pancreatic cancer is an exocrine form known as adenocarcinoma. Pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors are of the endocrine type and are much rarer, but typically have a better prognosis.
What Is The Survival Rate For Pancreatic Cancer
Cancer survival rates are usually discussed in terms of 5-year relative survival, which refers to the proportion of patients still alive five years after diagnosis. Keep in mind that statistics like these are based on large groups of people and cannot predict what might happen with an individual patient.
In the United States, national data shows that 9.3% of people diagnosed with pancreatic cancer are alive after five years. Pancreatic cancer survival remains poor due to a number of factors, some of which include the lack of a reliable screening test for the general population and a high number of people with late-stage disease at diagnosis.
In addition, survival differs dramatically depending on the type of pancreatic cancer. For example, survival for pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors is significantly better than pancreatic ductal adenosarcoma. Recent treatment advances have led to increased survival when all treatment options including clinical trials are properly considered.
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Survival Statistics For Pancreatic Cancer
Survival statistics for pancreatic cancer are very general estimates and must be interpreted very carefully. Because these statistics are based on the experience of groups of people, they cannot be used to predict a particular persons chances of survival.
There are many different ways to measure and report cancer survival statistics. Your doctor can explain the statistics for pancreatic cancer and what they mean to you.
Potentially Curable If Caught Very Early
Despite the overall poor prognosis and the fact that the disease is mostly incurable, pancreatic cancer has the potential to be curable if caught very early. 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.
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Pancreatic Cancer Survival Rate
The pancreatic cancer survival rate continues to improve as research leads to new and better ways to diagnose and treat the condition. However, when discussing the survival rate, its important to remember that it is nothing more than a statistic. Every patient is unique and every cancer is different. A statistic can only describe what happened retrospectively in a very large groupit does not take into account the advances in cancer care that are being made every single day, nor can it predict the outcome in any individual situation. In fact, some patients live much longer than the amount of time that would be anticipated based on the survival rate alone.
Patients Say These Pancreatic Cancer Symptoms Are Ones To Watch For
There’s more than 100 different types of cancers and while many are treatable thanks to advances in medicine and technology, that typically isn’t the case with pancreatic cancer. According to the Hirshberg Foundation for Pancreatic Cancer Research, “Pancreatic cancer has the highest mortality rate of all major cancers. It is currently the 3rd leading cause of cancer-related death in the United States after lung and colon.” TheAmerican Cancer Society, “About 62,210 people will be diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. About 49,830 people will die of pancreatic cancer.”
The average 5-year survival rate is 11 percent for people with pancreatic cancer in the United States, but one man is proving that you can live longer and beat the fatal disease. “I’m a six year thriver of third stage pancreatic cancer,” Chris Joseph, Owner of CAJA Environmental Services, LLC and tells us. Joseph shares his story about how he overcame the odds and reveals one symptom in particular to watch out for. As always, please consult your physician for medical advice. Read onand to ensure your health and the health of others, don’t miss these Sure Signs You’ve Already Had COVID.
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Pancreatic Cancer Survival Rates
Pancreatic cancer survival rates are based on groups, but you are an individualand every patients situation is unique. The National Cancer Institutes Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results Program tracks five-year survival rates for all types of cancer based on data from previous patients and sometimes older treatments.
Based on people diagnosed with prostate cancer between 2011 and 2017, SEER data shows:
- Localized prostate cancer that is contained within the pancreas has a five-year relative survival rate of 41.6 percent.
- Regional cancer that has spread from the pancreas into nearby parts of the body, such as the lymph nodes, has a five-year relative survival rate of 14.4 percent.
- Distant cancer that has spread to farther parts of the body, such as the liver or lungs, has a five-year relative survival rate of 3 percent.
- The overall five-year relative survival rate for pancreatic cancer is 10.8 percent.
Its important to remember that survival rates are constantly improving, so patients diagnosed now typically have better outcomes than those diagnosed in the past.
Survival For All Stages Of Pancreatic Cancer
There are no UK-wide statistics available for all stages of pancreatic cancer. Generally for adults with pancreatic cancer in England:
- around 25 in every 100 survive their cancer for 1 year or more after they are diagnosed
- more than 5 out of every 100 survive their cancer for 5 years or more
- it is estimated that only 5 out of every 100 will survive their cancer for 10 years or more after diagnosis
One reason for the poor outlook for pancreatic cancer is that it is often diagnosed late. The cancer is very often quite advanced.
Only around 10 in 100 people can have surgery to remove pancreatic cancer, which gives the best chance of cure.
Office for National Statistics, Cancer survival by stage at diagnosis for England, 2019
These statistics are for net survival. Net survival estimates the number of people who survive their cancer rather than calculating the number of people diagnosed with cancer who are still alive. In other words, it is the survival of cancer patients after taking into account that some people would have died from other causes if they had not had cancer.
You can read more about these statistics in the Cancer Statistics section.
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Survival For Pancreatic Endocrine Tumours
Pancreatic endocrine tumours are an uncommon type of pancreatic cancer. More recently doctors have been calling them neuroendocrine neoplasms . This is an umbrella term for this group of disorders. Then they are called either neuroendocrine tumours or neuroendocrine carcinomas . This depends on how slow or fast growing the cells are.
They generally have a better outlook than adenocarcinoma of the pancreas.
1 year survival
The information below is for 1 year overall survival for pancreatic neuroendocrine neoplasms in the UK.
Around 80 in 100 people survive for 1 year or more.
5 year survival
There are no UK-wide 5 year survival statistics available for pancreatic NENs. The statistics below are from a European study. Please be aware that these figures may not be a true picture of survival in the UK. This is due to differences in health care systems, data collection and the population,
Around 40 out of 100 people survive their cancer for 5 years or more after diagnosis.
British Journal of Cancer Volume 121, pages 966972
Pancreatic Cancer Nutrition: 12 Pancreatic Diet Tips
People diagnosed with Pancreatic cancer often find it difficult to maintain their weight and follow a healthy diet. The pancreas is an organ located in the abdomen, behind the stomach near the small intestine, gallbladder and duodenum. It has an essential role to help convert the food we eat into fuel for the bodys cells. Food may not be digested properly if the pancreas is not functioning due to cancer.
The pancreas has two main functions: an exocrine function that helps in digestion of food and an endocrine function that regulates blood sugar. Even if patients continue to eat and digest food normally, pancreatic cancer releases compounds into the bloodstream that break down muscle and fat, causing patients to lose weight and muscle mass, as well as feel fatigued.
Dietitians work closely with your care team to help you maintain good nutrition and maximize your health. They can assess your needs and design a diet plan that best meets your needs, including supplementary insulin or pancreatic enzymes. Dietitians can also help you alter the consistency, fiber content or fat content of your diet to prevent you from becoming malnourished.
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