What is Pancreatic cancer
The pancreas lies behind the stomach and in front of the spine. There are two kinds of cells in the pancreas. Exocrine pancreas cells make enzymes that are released into the small intestine to help the body digest food. Neuroendocrine pancreas cells (such as islet cells) make several hormones, including insulin and glucagon, that help control sugar levels in the blood.
Most pancreatic cancers form in exocrine cells. These tumors do not secrete hormones and do not cause signs or symptoms. This makes it hard to diagnose this type of pancreatic cancer early. For most patients with exocrine pancreatic cancer, current treatments do not cure the cancer.
Some types of malignant pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors, such as islet cell tumors, have a better prognosis than pancreatic exocrine cancers.
A Snapshot of Pancreatic Cancer
Pancreatic cancer, the 12th most common cancer in the United States, is relatively rare; however, it is the fourth leading cause of cancer-related death in both men and women in the United States. In 2014, it is estimated that more than 46,000 people in the United States will be diagnosed with pancreatic cancer and nearly 40,000 will die of this disease. Because pancreatic cancer usually is diagnosed at an advanced stage, the survival rate is extremely low compared with that of many other cancer types. The overall pancreatic cancer incidence rate has not significantly changed since 2002, but the mortality rate has increased an average of 0.4% annually from 2002-2011.<>
Because of improvements in treatment, the mortality rate for Hodgkin lymphoma has decreased by nearly 70 percent since 1975, even though the incidence rate has remained relatively steady over the same period. Incidence rates for Hodgkin lymphoma are highest for whites and African Americans; mortality rates are highest for whites, Hispanics, and African Americans.
African Americans have higher rates of pancreatic cancer incidence and mortality than whites or other racial/ethnic groups. Pancreatic cancer incidence and mortality rates also are higher in men than in women.
Cigarette smoking is the most important risk factor for pancreatic cancer. Additional risk factors include personal history of diabetes or chronic inflammation of the pancreas (pancreatitis), obesity, certain hereditary conditions, and a family history of the disease or pancreatitis. Early-stage pancreatic cancer is often asymptomatic, and there is no routine screening test for pancreatic cancer. Standard treatments for pancreatic cancer include surgery, radiation therapy, chemotherapy, chemoradiation, and targeted therapy.
Assuming that incidence and survival rates follow recent trends, it is estimated that $2.6 billion1 will be spent on pancreatic cancer care in the United States in 2014.