Most experts agree that it is better for the patient to have chemotherapy before surgery, even when it looks like the tumor can be removed by surgery at the time of diagnosis. Unfortunately, only a minority of the patients-about 15%-are candidates for surgery because the disease is too advanced at the time of diagnosis. New onset diabetes in patients who are over 50 years old is often another clue in the diagnosis.Ī: Pancreas cancer is treated with chemotherapy and surgery. When the tumor is in the head of the pancreas, it will eventually block the bile duct. They also often have unexplained weight loss. Typically, patients have about three months of vague, dull, crampy pain in the upper part of the abdomen above the umbilicus and sometimes penetrating to the back. Q: Why is it often diagnosed late, and typically how is it detected?Ī: Pancreas cancer is diagnosed late because the symptoms of the disease are vague at first.
Unfortunately, the prognosis with the more common type of pancreas cancer is much worse. They can occur in younger people, and they are very frequently cured with surgery. These are usually pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors. There are other types of pancreas tumors that are rarer. This is the most common type of pancreas cancer and usually occurs in older people. When we discuss pancreatic cancer, we are typically referring to pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma. A person experiencing pain in their torso.Ī: Pancreatic cancer is a complex disease that occurs when abnormal cells begin to grow inside the pancreas. In this Q&A, he explains the risks for pancreatic cancer, treatment options and what patients should consider when seeking care. William Fisher, director of the Elkins Pancreas Center at Baylor College of Medicine and professor and vice chair for clinical affairs in Baylor’s Department of Surgery, is an internationally known leader in pancreatic surgery. The American Cancer Society estimates that about 60,430 people will be diagnosed with pancreatic cancer this year.ĭr. With the number of new pancreatic cancer cases on the rise in the United States, increasing awareness of this disease is key, even more so because pancreatic cancer often is diagnosed late.