About Pancreatic Cancer

Pancreatic cancer is a malignant tumour within the pancreatic gland. Each year about 32,000 individuals in the United States are diagnosed with this condition, and more than 60,000 in Europe. Depending on the extent of the tumor at the time of diagnosis, the prognosis is generally regarded as poor, with few victims still alive 5 years after diagnosis, and complete remission still extremely rare.

About 95 percent of pancreatic tumors are adenocarcinomas. The remaining 5 percent include other tumors of the exocrine pancreas (e.g. serous cystadenomas), acinar cell cancers, and pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors. These tumors have a completely different diagnostic and therapeutic profile, and generally a more favorable prognosis.

Risk factors for pancreatic cancer include:

• Age
• Gingivitis or periodontal disease (Dana Farber Cancer Institute of Harvard Medical School study: elevated levels of C-reactive protein, a biomarker for chronic inflammation, and elevated oral bacteria and carcinogenic nitrosamides, which interact with gastric acid, are found, especially in smokers, in pancreatic cancer cases)
• Male gender
• African ethnicity
• Smoking
• Diets high in meat
• Obesity
• Diabetes
• Chronic pancreatitis has been linked, but is not known to be causal.
• Occupational exposure to certain pesticides, dyes, and chemicals related to gasoline
• Family history
• Helicobacter pylori infection

Prognosis
Patients diagnosed with pancreatic cancer typically have a poor prognosis partly because the cancer usually causes no symptoms early on, leading to metastatic disease at time of diagnosis. Median survival from diagnosis is around 3 to 6 months; 5-year survival is much less than 5%[7] With 32,180 new diagnoses in the United States every year, and 31,800 deaths, mortality approaches 99%, giving pancreatic cancer the highest fatality rate of all cancers and the fourth highest cancer killer in the United States amongst both men and women.

Pancreatic cancer occasionally may result in diabetes. Insulin production is hampered and it has been suggested that the cancer can also prompt the onset of diabetes and vice versa.

Prevention
Prevention of pancreatic cancer consists of avoiding risk factors when possible Cigarette smoking is considered to be the most significant and avoidable risk factor for pancreatic cancer. Maintaining a healthy weight and exercising may be helpful. Additionally, increasing consumption of fruits, vegetables, and whole grains while decreasing red meat intake is recommended by the American Cancer Society.

The relationship of overall fruit and vegetable consumption with pancreatic cancer has been questioned by several research groups. In 2006 a large prospective cohort study of over 80,000 subjects failed to prove a definite association. The evidence in support of this lies mostly in small case-control studies.

In September 2006, a long-term study concluded that taking Vitamin D can substantially cut the risk of pancreatic cancer (as well as other cancers) by up to 50%. More studies of this have been called for.

Several studies, including one published June 1, 2007, indicate that B vitamins such as B12, B6, and folate, can reduce the risk of pancreatic cancer when consumed in food, but not when ingested in vitamin tablet form.

Awareness

• November is Pancreatic Cancer Awareness Month
• Purple is the traditional color chosen to represent pancreatic cancer
• An estimated 52.7 million dollars was spent on pancreatic cancer research in 2004 of the National Cancer Institute’s (NCI) cancer research budget. This is just 1% of the NCI’s 4.824 billion dollar cancer research budget for 2004.
• Despite the especially lethal nature of pancreatic cancer, the research spending per pancreatic cancer patient is only $1145, the lowest of any leading cancer.
• For a list of celebrities who have succumbed to this disease, see Category:Pancreatic cancer deaths
• The Pancreatic Cancer Action Network (PanCAN) was created as an advocacy group for pancreatic cancer.
• The national charity Pancreatic Cancer UK works to raise awareness in the UK