Pancreatic Cancer
Pancreatic Cancer: Symptoms, Causes, Diagnosis, Treatment, and Future Outlook.: Symptoms, Causes, Diagnosis, Treatment, and Future Outlook.
Disclaimer:
This blog is for informational purposes only and should not be taken as medical advice. Content is sourced from third parties, and we do not guarantee accuracy or accept any liability for its use. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional for medical guidance.
What is Pancreatic Cancer?
Pancreatic cancer is a malignancy arising in the pancreas, an organ behind the stomach that produces digestive enzymes and hormones like insulin. The most common type is pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC, 90%), originating in exocrine cells, with rarer neuroendocrine tumors (5%). It’s classified by location (head, body, tail) and stage (I-IV, with most diagnosed at III-IV). In 2025, it’s the third leading cancer death cause, with ~62,000 US cases and 50,000 deaths annually, known for aggressiveness and late detection.
Symptoms
Symptoms are vague and late-appearing, including upper abdominal or back pain (dull, worsening after eating or lying down), jaundice (yellow skin/eyes, dark urine, pale stools from bile duct blockage), loss of appetite, unexplained weight loss, nausea/vomiting, indigestion, bloating, fatigue, new-onset diabetes, and blood clots (e.g., DVT). Advanced cases cause ascites, enlarged gallbladder, or depression. Symptoms often mimic benign conditions like ulcers, delaying diagnosis.
Causes
Causes involve genetic mutations (KRAS in 90%, TP53, CDKN2A), with risk factors like smoking (20-30% of cases), obesity, diabetes, chronic pancreatitis, family history (10% hereditary), inherited syndromes (e.g., Peutz-Jeghers, Lynch), heavy alcohol, and diets high in red meat/low in fruits. Age (over 65), male gender, and African American ethnicity increase risk. In 2025, microbiome alterations and inflammation are emerging causes.
Diagnosis
Diagnosis uses blood tests (CA 19-9 marker, liver function), imaging (CT, MRI, EUS for detailed views), and biopsy (fine-needle aspiration via EUS). PET scans assess spread. Molecular testing identifies mutations for targeted therapy. In 2025, liquid biopsies and AI imaging detect early-stage disease in 20-30% more cases.
Treatment
Resectable tumors (10-20%) use surgery (Whipple for head, distal pancreatectomy for tail), with neoadjuvant/adjuvant chemotherapy (FOLFIRINOX, gemcitabine). Unresectable cases use chemotherapy, radiation, and targeted therapies (e.g., larotrectinib for NTRK fusions). Immunotherapy (pembrolizumab for MSI-high) and ADCs are emerging. In 2025, stroma-modifying drugs and vaccines improve responses to 30%.
Future Outlook
In 2025, 5-year survival is 12% overall, 42% localized, but 3% metastatic. Advances in immunotherapy and AI extend survival to 15-18 months for advanced. By 2030, vaccines and early ctDNA detection could raise overall survival to 20%.
Sources
The information is based on Mayo Clinic’s “Pancreatic cancer – Symptoms and causes” for symptoms; MD Anderson’s “Pancreatic Cancer” for overview; Norgen Biotek’s “Pancreatic Cancer: Causes, Symptoms, and Effective Treatments” for treatments; Mayo Clinic’s “Pancreatic cancer – Diagnosis and treatment” for diagnosis; PanCan’s “What Is Pancreatic Cancer?” for symptoms; NCI’s “Advances in Pancreatic Cancer Research” for research; Healthline’s “Pancreatic Cancer: Causes, Symptoms, Prognosis, and Treatments” for prognosis; PMC’s “Pancreatic cancer: failures and hopes” for outlook; UC Health’s “Pancreatic Cancer – Symptoms, Support and Treatments” for support.