Pancreatic Cancer

Each year some 28,000 cases of pancreatic cancer are discovered; and each year 25,000 Americans die from it. It is the fifth leading cause of cancer deaths.

The incidence of pancreatic cancer rises after age 50, with most cases occurring between the ages of 65 and 79. The risk of pancreatic cancer is twice as high in people who smoke. Other possible predisposing factors include high fat diets, exposure to industrial chemicals, diabetes mellitus, chronic inflammation of the pancreas (pancreatitis), and chronic alcohol abuse.

Pancreatic cancer is a silent disease, producing no symptoms until the advanced stages. The most common warning signs include weight loss, jaundice, abdominal or low back pain, and diarrhea. Others include fever and lesions on the legs. Patients may also experience emotional disturbances such as anxiety and depression, as well as premonitions of life-threatening illness.

Treatment for pancreatic cancer consists of surgery, radiation therapy, and drugs. However, the diagnosis usually comes so late that these therapies are rarely feasible. Drugs used for treating pancreatic cancer are antibiotics, anticholinergics (especially propantheline), antacids, diuretics, insulin, analgesics, and pancreatic enzymes.

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