Welcome to brain Stuff production of I Heart Radio, Hey brain Stuff Lauren vogebam here. Of all of the forms of cancer, pancreatic is one of the most dreaded diagnoses. The five year survival rate for pancreatic cancer is just ten according to the American Cancer Society, though that number does represent an improvement over what the survival rate was just a decade ago inn, which was only six percent.
Although the disease has publicly affected icons like Jeopardy host Alex Trebec and Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, most people still have a pretty limited understanding of it. So how is it that cancer of such a small organ can cause so much trouble and why is the survival rates so low? First, it's important to have a grasp on where the pancreas is and what it does. About
six to ten inches that's fifteen long. The pancreas sits in the upper left ab been behind the stomach, and is surrounded on all sides by other more prominent organs like the liver, small intestine, and spleen. The pancreas has some big functions, though, like creating and dispensing hormones that regulate blood sugar, as well as enzymes that help the
body digest proteins, fat, and carbohydrates. When the pancreas gets out of whack, our health tends to decline pretty quickly, and much like ovarian cancer, pancreatic cancer is often caught at a later stage than other types of cancer. For the article, this episode is based on How Stuff Work. Spoke by email with Dr Victoria Mannix Bretzon, then chief medical officer with the Pancreatic Cancer Action Network or pan CAN. She said there is no standard early detection test for
pancreatic cancer, and the presenting symptoms may be vague. As a result, most cases are diagnosed once the disease has reached an advanced stage, making it more difficult to treat a Typical symptoms of pancreatic cancer, which are often mistaken for other ailments, include weight loss, jaundice, which is yellowing of the eyes and or skin, nausea, changes in stool or appetite, pancreatis, recent onset diabetes, and or sudden pain,
typically in the back or abdomen. If pancreatic cancer is suspected, the disease is diagnosed by taking tissue samples as well as imaging tests. Most cases of pancreatic cancer occur among the older population, with diagnoses in people over fifty five and in people over sixty. In the United States, it's more common in men than women. Although none of those
risk factors can be controlled, others can. Man express And said the cause of the majority of pancreatic cancer cases is unknown, but there is evidence that age, smoking, being overweight, family history of pancreatic cancer, pancreatis and diabetes may increase your risk of pancreatic cancer. Much like other cancers, pancreatic cancer treatment varies based on stage as well as the patient's general health. In the rare instances, when it's caught
early enough, surgery is an option. However, patients in advanced stages are generally directed to chemotherapy. A manics Breton said it's not unusual for pancreatic cancer patients to initially respond well and then to require further treatment. In fact, that's what Trebec reported. He had stage four cancer and was near remission in May nineteen, but needed a second round
of chemotherapy by September of the same year. Not all pancreatic cancer tumors are the same, however, but which is why Pancan recommends that patients have their tumor molecularly profiled. This can help to better pinpoint ideal treatment options because the treating physician will more fully understand the biology of the tumor. They also recommend clinical trials both that diagnosis and re subsequent treatment decision, which may include chemotherapy, targeted therapy,
and immunotherapy. Some people do turn out to have a more benign form of the disease. The Ginsburg, for example, lived over ten years after her diagnosis. It's unknown what her type of pancreatic cancer was, but around ten to fifteen percent of cases are a less aggressive form called islet cell tumors. Although no screening is available today, the hope is that it will be in the near future.
Scientists are currently working to identify biomarkers, which are biological clues that could serve as warning signs for the early, more treatable stages of the disease. These biomarkers are present in bodily specimens such as blood, urine, and pancreatic fluid. Men Expresson said there are also studies to improve upon current imaging techniques to allow doctors to see smaller indications of disease. Doctors also have to figure out exactly who
would benefit from disease screening. Men express It explained many efforts focus on people with strong family histories of pancreatic cancer or known genetic syndromes linked to the disease. Newer studies are evaluating individuals over the age of fifty with new onset of diabetes and other clinical symptoms. If you're concerned about your pancreatic cancer risk, go to pancan dot org. That's p A n c A n dot org to find out more about the risk factors, symptoms, and diagnoses.
They're not a sponsor, just a good organization. Today's episode is based on the article why is Pancreatic Cancer So Deadly? On how stuff works dot com, written by Leo Hoyt. Brain Stuff is production of I Heart Radio and partnership with how stuff works dot Com, and it is produced by Tyler Clay. For more podcasts my heart Radio, visit the I heart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you listen to your favorite shows.