Detected late, lack of specific symptoms, pancreatic cancer is one of the dreaded diseases predominantly affecting those over 50 years old. Only 20% of patients would be diagnosed in time to have a chance of recovery, experts recalled on Thursday at the occasion of the 3rd World Day of fight against pancreatic cancer.
In 2015, 11,000 new cases of pancreatic cancer were identified, with a majority of patients being over 50 years old. This is a formidable cancer affecting both men and women, recalled the specialists while standing on Thursday the 3rd World Day against pancreatic cancer.
Goal: educate as many people with this disease, health professionals and the general public. A challenge all the more important that the disease could become cancer the second leading cause of death by 2020, notes Le Point .
Main difficulty: diagnosis
One of the main challenges remains the diagnosis. By detecting the disease at the earliest , the management of patients could be improved. But in the absence of specific symptoms, the patient consults his doctor late, so its diagnosis is often complicated.
However, general symptoms can put on the track: “severe malnutrition and weight loss of 10% in 6 months must challenge and jaundice, jaundice, onset of diabetes or acute pancreatitis thrust in a patient who has no particular history, ” said Dr. Wulfran Cacheux , gastrointestinal oncologist, pancreatic cancer specialist at the Institut Curie.
Serious tracks new treatments
Symptoms occur in the onset of pancreatic tumor or metastases. Also, pancreatic cancers are difficult to cure because, at this stage, the disease has already developed. “Only 20% of patients would be diagnosed in time to have a chance of recovery,” can we also read on the site Institut Curie.
When possible, surgery appears to be the most suitable solution to get rid of the tumor. New treatments associated with chemotherapy currently prescribed or in testing can increase life expectancy. A serious point says Le Point , “surgery may be proposed only one in five.”
