Did you know that an estimated 44,030 Americans will be diagnosed with pancreatic cancer in the U.S. annually? How about the fact that pancreatic cancer is the 10th most commonly diagnosed cancer in the United States?
In the past, pancreatic cancer has not had as much publicity as cancers such as breast and prostate cancer. However, more light has been shed on this horrible disease with celebrities such as Steve Jobs, Patrick Swayze and Sally Ride who have suffered from the cancer. Here are a number of facts/statistics that will come as a surprise to most of you:
* Pancreatic cancer is a malignant neoplasm originating from transformed cells arising in tissues forming the pancreas.
* Pancreatic cancer typically spreads rapidly and is seldom detected in its early stages. Signs and symptoms may not appear until pancreatic cancer is quite advanced and surgical removal isn't possible.
* 95% of cases are due to pancreatic adenocarcinoma.
* Pancreatic cancer is the fourth deadliest cancer.
* The cancer claims the lives of 75% of those diagnosed within year one, and 96% of those diagnosed within five years.
* The average life expectancy after diagnosis with metastatic disease is just three to six months.
* 90% of people suffering from pancreatic cancer are 55 years of age and older.
* The National Cancer Institute (NCI) spent an estimated $97.1 million on pancreatic cancer research in 2010. What’s crazy is that this represented a mere 2% of the NCI's approximate $5 billion cancer research budget for that year.
On a happier note, there have been multiple exciting breakthroughs that could eventually lead to early detection for pancreatic cancer. For instance, a 15-year old named Jack Andraka made headlines recently for developing a urine and blood test that can detect pancreatic cancer with 90 percent accuracy. We look forward to seeing what the future holds in scientific research, and we hope that one day no one will have to suffer from this terrible disease.
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