Pancreas Cancer

Pancreatic cancer is also commonly known as pancreas cancer or cancer of the pancreas, and it occurs as a malignant tumor in the pancreas.

Pancreatic cancer claims about 33,000 lives each year in the United States, making it the fourth highest cancer killer in the U.S. for both men and women. The accounts for only 2.5 percent of new cancer cases, but 6 percent of cancer deaths. The fatality rate is the highest of all forms of cancer.

Someone with pancreatic cancer may also develop diabetes, since the pancreas is the organ that produces insulin.

Symptoms of Pancreas Cancer

Pancreatic cancer is difficult to diagnose in the early stages because there are few symptoms. Eventually, pancreas cancer causes upper abdomen pain which radiates to the back. This pain is often intermittent and more intense after a meal.

Besides pain caused by cancer, there could also be

• loss of appetite,
• a significant loss of weight
• diarrhea
• jaundice
• unexplained clinical depression

These symptoms, unfortunately, can also have many other causes, and so pancreatic cancer isn't often diagnosed until it has reached an advanced stage. By then, the prognosis is generally poor. Few patients survive for five years and complete remission is extremely rare.

Who Is at Risk for Pancreatic Cancer

These are generally considered to be risk factors:

• a high red meat diet
• advancing age
• african ethnicity
• diabetes mellitus
• Helicobacter pylori infection. The H pylori bacteria may also be associated with stomach cancer
• Male gender
• Obesity
• Smoking

Chronic pancreatitis has been linked to pancreatic cancer, but it's not known to be a cause.

There may be a connection between pancreatic cancer and exposure to certain pesticides, dyes, and chemicals related to gasoline, but more research is needed in this area.

Between 5 and 10% of those who develop pancreatic cancer have a family history of the disease. More research is also needed in this area.

Treatment

Treatment of pancreatic cancer depends on how far the cancer has advanced, but at the moment the only two treatment options are 1) surgery to attempt to remove the cancerous area or 2) chemotherapy.

Prevention

There is no sure way to prevent pancreatic cancer. The wisest course of action is to avoid, as much as possible, the risk factors.

Tobacco use, especially cigarettes, is believed to be the most significant risk factor, but eating a healthy diet and exercising may help.