Pancreatic Cancer Awareness

National Pancan Month Kicks Off

Nov 7, 2009 Rhonda Day

November is National Pancreatic Cancer Awareness Month and it is vital to spread the word about the importance of increasing awareness to find a cure.

The Pancreatic Cancer Action Network (Pancan) is focused on increasing awareness of pancreatic cancer, but they need everyone's help to find a cure.

With pancreatic cancer, 52% of patients are diagnosed when they are already in the advanced stages of the disease. Over 42,470 Americans will be diagnosed with the disease in 2009 and over 35,000 people will die from it. By the year 2030, the projected number of diagnosed cases is expected to increase by 55%. Today, there are no effective treatment options and the search for a cure continues. The unique type of cells that make up pancreatic cancer tumors contribute to the resistance of the tumors to chemotherapies, decreasing the chances of a cure.

Increased awareness and funding are vital to finding a cure. Since an estimated 76% of patients will die within one year of diagnosis, finding a cure quickly is critical. Unfortunately, there are no early detection or screening exams for this particular type of cancer and that makes it even more difficult to detect it early enough to make a difference.

Risk Factors and Symptoms of Pancreatic Cancer

There are multiple risk factors for this disease and the three primary factors are clear. These include:

• diagnosis of a first-degree relative (increases risk two to three fold)
• smoking (increase risk two fold)
• adult-onset diabetes

Some of the symptoms of pancreatic cancer are listed below, although symptoms are vague and go undetected or undiagnosed for long periods of time. The absence of screening tools and clear symptoms make early diagnosis difficult and even impossible until it is too late in some situations.

• pain in the abdomen or back
• weight loss
• jaundice
• loss of appetite
• nausea
• diabetes (caused by pancreatic cancer)

Research is Drastically Underfunded

Pancreatic cancer is drastically underfunded when compared to other cancers; however, the rate of diagnosis and the death toll related to this horrific disease are rapidly increasing. With less than 2% of the National Cancer Institute's budget allocated to pancreatic cancer research, it is essential to increase awareness and spread the word about the significance of funding and donations for further research.

The Pancreatic Cancer Action Network (Pancan) is a national organization dedicated to increasing awareness, fighting the disease, and ending it. The November 2009 campaign slogan is, "Know it. Fight it. End it." Visit the website to learn more about fundraising and awareness opportunities, including the Tempur-Pedic Teddy Bear Hugs Back campaign.

To learn more, visit www.knowitfightitendit.org or www.pancan.org/

Resources

1. Pancreatic Cancer Action Network (www.pancan.org/)
2. Know It. Fight It. End It. (www.knowitfightitendit.org)

The copyright of the article Pancreatic Cancer Awareness in General Medicine is owned by Rhonda Day. Permission to republish Pancreatic Cancer Awareness in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.

Visit www.pancan.org to purchase a bear.