Pancreatic cancer is the 4th leading cause of cancer death in the US and has seen increasing incidence due to lifestyle changes and medication use. Key risk factors include smoking, chronic pancreatitis, and diabetes, with symptoms such as abdominal pain and bloating. Diagnosis involves imaging tests like CT scans and MRIs, while treatment options range from surgery to chemotherapy, with a notably low overall survival rate of just 4%.

1. Pancreatic Cancer News
Risk
Diagnosis
Treatment

2. Pancreatic Cancer News
• Increasing incidence over the past few decades
in the US – Lifestyle Changes / Medication
• Pancreatic Cancer is the 4th leading cause of
cancer death in US

3. Pancreatic Cancer Risk Factors
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Smoking
Geriatric Related Illnesses
Chronic Pancreatitis
Diabetes
Previous Uses of Certain Medications

4. Pancreatic Cancer Signs
• Abdominal pain occurs in more than 80% of people
with pancreatic cancer and it may radiate around to
the back.
• Bloating from Pancreatic Cancer gives a sense of
early fullness with meals or an uncomfortable
swelling in the stomach.
• Nausea
• Diarrhea
• Pale, clay-colored stools due to bile duct blockage.
• Urine may become darker with Pancreatic Cancer.

5. Pancreatic Cancer Diagnosis
• CT scan: The images can help doctors make a
pancreatic cancer diagnosis.
• MRI: Uses magnetic waves to give detailed
images.
• Ultrasound: Painless sound waves help doctors
make a pancreatic cancer diagnosis.
• PET scan: Injected Radioactive dye is absorbed
by cancer cells and allows them to be seen.

6. Further Pancreatic Cancer Diagnosis
If the initial results indicate a potential positive result for Pancreatic
Cancer, other tests can give a more conclusive analysis.
•A needle biopsy takes tissue to test for Pancreatic Cancer.
•A Endoscopic ultrasound can locate a Cancerous mass.
•Endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) is a tube
with a camera put through the mouth to the small intestine, near the
pancreas to see problems and take a small tissue sample.
•Laparoscopy is where a surgeon collects tissue via incisions.
Further medical testing may not be covered by insurance. Patients can
get further options regarding payments if issues resulted from past
prescription medication use. Learn More.

7. Pancreatic Cancer Stages Simplified
• Stage zero: Pancreatic cancer is restricted to a single
layer of cells in the pancreas. The pancreatic cancer does
not usually show on imaging tests.
• Stage I: Pancreatic cancer is "localized" and limited to
the pancreas, but has grown to up to a sixteenth of an
inch across.
• Stage II: Pancreatic cancer has spread to outside the
pancreas, or has infected the nearby lymph nodes.
• Stage III: The tumor has widened its growth to nearby
major blood vessels or nerves but has not
"metastasized".
• Stage IV: Pancreatic cancer has spread to distant organs.

8. Pancreatic Cancer Treatment
• Localized surgery and
post-op radiation
and/or chemotherapy
• Local chemotherapy
+radiation
• Pancreatic Enzyme
therapy

9. Pancreatic Cancer Treatment
• Some Facts About Surgery:
▫ 15-20% of patients have fully operable Cancer
▫ 40-45% have tumors that are inoperable (due to
vascular invasion)
▫ 40-45% have Cancer spread too advanced to other
organs.

10. Pancreatic Cancer Prognosis
• Overall survival rate 4%
• For patients with small cancers without growth
beyond the pancreas, surgery has a five year survival
rate of 20-24%
• For patients with advanced Pancreatic cancer,
survival at 5 years is 1%, with most patients dying
within a year
If you or one of your family members is diagnosed
with Pancreatic Cancer, you can get a free
professional consultation for treatment options or
care planning. Learn More.

11. Pancreatic Cancer Resources
• If you, or your family members have symptoms of, or
have been diagnosed with Pancreatic Cancer, and have
taken past prescription medications, you need additional
information regarding your treatment options and
possible compensation to pay for treatment.