Irving, TX – September 24, 2019 – Pancreatic cancer is among the deadliest cancers in the U.S. according to the Pancreatic Cancer Action Network, it’s the third cause of cancer deaths in the country. Its five-year survival rate is 9 percent. In 2019, approximately 56,770 persons will be diagnosed with the cancer type and about 45,750 of newly diagnosed people will die from the cancer.

“Pancreatic cancer is deadly mainly because there are no early screening tests,” says Dr.Echt. “Usually, there are no signs or symptoms of pancreatic cancer until the cancer has progressed. The few symptoms associated with this disease are back pain, digestive distress, and fatigue. These symptoms could be attributed to other causes too.”

When it comes to the survival odds of pancreatic cancer, the case of each patient is different and several factors may affect its outcome. These factors include:

• Age
• Overall health
• The cancer’s stage
• Access to specialists, treatment, supportive care, and clinical trials

However, the most crucial factor is the stage of the cancer.

• Stage I: At this level, the tumor is in the pancreas and regarded as localized. A stage IA tumor is 2 cm while that in stage IB is bigger than 2 cm. A report from the American Cancer Society shows that stage I pancreatic cancer has a five-year survival rate of 34%.

• Stage II & III: In this case, the tumor has spread from the pancreas to the surrounding lymph nodes, blood vessels or both. But, the tumor hasn’t metastasized or moved to other organs. The tumor is said to be regionalized and has a five-year survival rate of 12%.

• Stage IV: It’s known as distant or metastasized cancer in which tumors have spread to organs like the lung, pancreas, brain, bones and more. The five year survival rate is 3%.

“The earlier pancreatic cancer is diagnosed, the better the survival odds,” says Dr.Echt. “For the most part, surgery is the preferred option. In fact, those who receive a timely diagnosis and go for surgery are ten times more likely to survive than for the next five years.”

About The Sandler-Kenner Foundation

The Sandler-Kenner Foundation, established in 2007 as the Las Colinas Cancer Center Foundation, was renamed in early 2011 in the memory of Michael Sandler and Peter Kenner, both of whom passed away from pancreatic cancer, a lethal disease that is difficult to diagnose until it has reached an advanced stage.

Visit them at https://helpfightpancreaticcancer.org/facts-about-pancreatic-cancer/risk-factors/ to know more.