By
National Cancer Institute | SACOBSERVER.COM
WIRE SERVICES
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Pancreatic cancer is the fourth leading
cause of cancer deaths in the United States.
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(NNPA) - Pancreatic
cancer is not a new disease. It just so happens that it has
received a lot of attention in recent months with the health
battles of celebrities including actor Patrick Swayze and
football great Gene Upshaw. Their struggle with pancreatic
cancer has shed some light on the severity of this disease.
Unfortunately, a lack of awareness of pancreatic cancer continues
to exist.
In 2009, an estimated 42,470 new
cases and 35,240 deaths from pancreatic cancer were predicted
for the year. Pancreatic cancer is the fourth leading cause
of cancer death among men and women in the United States.
This cancer is so deadly because it is usually not diagnosed
until the disease has spread.
The diagnosis rate for pancreatic
cancer is highest among African Americans. African Americans
are also more likely than other groups to die from pancreatic
cancer. In particular, African Americans are more likely to
be diagnosed with advanced - and thus untreatable - stages
of pancreatic cancer. For African Americans, the rate of new
pancreatic cases diagnosed is 16 for every 100,000 people
and the death rate from the disease for African Americans
is 14 per 100,000, according to the NCI’s Surveillance
Epidemiology and End Results statistics.
The exact causes of pancreatic
cancer are unknown. However, several factors have been found
to increase an individual’s risk for pancreatic cancer.
People who smoke cigarettes - the main risk factor - are two
to three times more likely to develop the disease than nonsmokers.
A diet high in fat and calories may be linked to increased
risk. Pancreatic cancer also occurs more often among people
with diabetes than those without. Most cases of pancreatic
cancer occur in individuals over the age of 60 and men are
at higher risk than women. Individuals with a family history
of pancreatic cancer or a personal history of chronic pancreatitis
are also more at risk than the general population.
Early stages of pancreatic cancer
often occur without symptoms. When symptoms do occur, they
are usually similar to those of other, less serious, illnesses.
These symptoms include pain in the upper abdomen or back,
yellow skin and eyes (from jaundice), weakness, loss of appetite,
nausea, vomiting, and weight loss. Patients who feel they
may be experiencing these symptoms are encouraged to talk
to their doctor. Pancreatic cancer is more easily treated
when it is diagnosed early. However, even with early detection,
treatment is toxic and survival is poor.
Because pancreatic cancer is a
serious disease, it is important that people do their best
to reduce their personal risk. One way to reduce your risk
for pancreatic cancer is to quit smoking. The National Cancer
Institute offers many resources to help people quit smoking.
If you or someone you know wants help with quitting, please
call the National Cancer Institute's Smoking Quit-line toll-free
at 1–877–44U–QUIT (1–877–448–7848).
The information specialists on the Quit-line can provide suggestions
and support. Additionally, the Smokefree Web sites (http://www.smokefree.gov
and http://women.smokefree.gov/) allow you to choose the help
that best fits your needs.
Pancreatic cancer is difficult
to treat. Doctors are exploring new ways to treat it. Research
already has led to better quality of life for people with
cancer of the pancreas. Physicians may suggest that patients
participate in a clinical trial. Clinical trials are important
options for pancreatic cancer patients to consider as their
participation may help find more successful treatments. To
find out more information about clinical trials, visit www.cancer.gov/clinicaltrials.
For more information about pancreatic
cancer, visit www.cancer.gov or call 1-800-4CANCER to speak
with a specialist.
NCI leads the National Cancer Program and the NIH effort
to dramatically reduce the burden of cancer and improve the
lives of cancer patients and their families, through research
into prevention and cancer biology, the development of new
interventions, and the training and mentoring of new researchers.
For more information about cancer, please visit the NCI Web
site at http://www.cancer.gov or call NCI's Cancer Information
Service at 1-800-4-CANCER (1-800-422-6237).
This is a special NNPA commentary.
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