I mean almost nobody survives it, it’s not uncommon unlike other cancers which are equally deadly(heart cancer for example), yet when you have it it’s basically over. A good reason to not consider chemo and just enjoy the days you have left.
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>heart cancer for example
AFAIK heart cancer – or cancer of any muscle – is really not a thing
The problem with the pancreas is that it’s function is one that supplements others in the body, and does so in very subtle ways. This means that by the time cancer is affecting the pancreas to the degree that symptoms become noticeable, the cancer has often reached the point where it has metastasized and spread to other parts of the body.
At this point, what is often referred to as “Stage 4” with cancers, it’s basically too late for any treatment to be effective. In order to stop the spread, any treatment would likely kill you first.
So, it’s not so much that pancreatic cancer itself is a death sentence, it’s more that you need to be able to catch it before it becomes actually noticeable. This is why cancer screening is important.
The pancreas is part of the digestive system and the endocrine system, it is basically buried deep inside the body where it is difficult to get at and is linked to virtually all of the rest of the body and a purpose is to spread hormones around the body. This means if the pancreas goes wrong you are really in a bad shape and if the cancer starts to spread (metastasize) the cancer is going to travel everywhere. – https://youtu.be/Q5–K1nUOM4
It’s often caught late to the point where it’s stage III/IV. Also, most don’t have symptoms in early stages. Surgically, it’s risky because it’s surrounded by blood vessels, and by the time they catch it (related to the first point) the cancer has spread to other parts of the body.
Edit: both my grandparents on one side of the family had it
Partly just because it’s most common in old men who are less healthy to begin with, and on top of that treatment is often difficult, painful, ruins quality of life. So if you’re already, say, in your eighties and treatment is going to suck you might just let it go.
It has no symptoms and it’s hard to detect until it’s metastisised and spread through the whole body.
Surgery on the pancreas is also dangerous, as surgery goes. The pancreas is full of really strong digestive liquids, and you really don’t want to get them on any of your other organs. Two-four percent of patients don’t survive the surgery, and up to half develop serious complications.
Early stages aren’t symptomatic.
When was the last time you had your pancreas checked?
Often times when it becomes problematic it’s very late in the cancer’s path.
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