Pancreatic cancer

Pancreatic cancer is a rare form of cancer that begins in the pancreas, an essential organ involved in digestion and blood sugar control, but can spread, or metastasize, to other parts of the body. The disease can cause symptoms such as abdominal pain, nausea, fatigue, and jaundice, or a yellowing of the skin and eyes. However, diagnosing pancreatic cancer is difficult because most of its symptoms are unspecific and don’t become evident until the disease has already advanced significantly.

Treatment for pancreatic cancer, a rare cancer that arises from cells in the pancreas, may involve a variety of different approaches, depending on factors such as the stage of disease and a person’s health status. Due to the aggressive nature of the disease, pancreatic cancer survival rates are relatively low. An early diagnosis, when the cancer can still be treated with potentially curative surgery, is critical to improve a person’s pancreatic cancer prognosis. When surgery is not an option, chemotherapy, radiation, and other supportive care measures may help control the cancer and keep patients comfortable for as long as possible.