Pancreatic cancer is a serious and often aggressive disease that begins in the tissues of the pancreas, an essential organ present in the upper left abdomen involved in digestion and blood sugar regulation.
Many of the pancreatic cancers appear in the pancreatic duct (duct of Wirsung) connecting the pancreas to your common bile duct. Due to subtle or absent early symptoms, pancreatic cancer is often diagnosed at an advanced stage.
Pancreatic Exocrine Tumors: These make up ~ 90% of the tumors are made in the exocrine that releases enzyme that aids in the digestion example, including adenocarcinoma that starts in the cell lining of the pancreatic duct( affecting 8 out of 10 people)
Pancreatic Neuroendocrine Tumors: Account for ~7-10% of pancreatic tumors are produced in neuroendocrine cells, also called islet cells.
Symptoms and Risk Factors
Pancreatic cancer symptoms often develop gradually and may mimic other conditions. Common symptoms include
Complications and Diagnosis
If untreated, Pancreatic Cancer can metastasize to other regions, such as Blood vessels, Lymph nodes, liver, lungs, and peritoneum.
Pancreatic Cancer is difficult to diagnose in early stages. If your healthcare provider suspects pancreatic cancer, they will suggest a combination of pancreatic tests, which may include
Blood test
While there is no single definitive test to detect pancreatic cancer, some of the routine blood tests can be used to check progression, diagnose, and monitor the condition. Some of the tests are:-
Tumor CA 19-9 Test:
It is a carbohydrate antigen, a type of protein released by pancreatic cancerous cells that might indicate tumor growth. While useful in tracking disease progression, the CA 19-9 test is not reliable for early diagnosis in all patients.
Some of the routine blood tests include:-
Liver function test: It is used to check if the bile ducts are blocked
Amylase/Lipase test: In case of pancreas inflammation, not specific for cancer
Glucose level test: To check for type 2 diabetes or the onset of diabetes due to pancreatic cancer.
Some of the Imaging tests include:-
Some Additional tests
Genetic Testing: If you have a family history of cancer, your provider may suggest that you undergo genetic testing for the BRCA1, BRCA2 mutations.
Pancreatic cancer can be categorized based on its Surgical Operability(Resectability) into four types.
Localized Pancreatic Cancer (Resectable)—This type does not involve any nearby lymph nodes and can be removed with Surgery.
Borderline Localized—Cancers may involve the nearby structure but still can be removed with surgery.
Locally Advanced(Unresectable)- Tumor involves the nearby structures, like lymph nodes, and cannot be removed with surgery.
Metastatic: The cancer has spread to other body parts such as the Liver, lungs, and abdominal cavity; surgery is not curative.
Treatment depends on certain factors such as location, stage, and growth, which include
Surgery: It is the only possible way to get a complete cure from this type of cancer, but under some conditions, when the tumor is localized and does not spread to other locations.
While there is no complete prevention, and people of any age group can get this cancer at any stage of life, you can adopt some healthy habits to manage or lower the risk of pancreatic cancer by following certain tips
Pancreatic Cancer: Global vs India Statistics
|
Field |
Global (2022) |
India (2022) |
|---|---|---|
|
New Cases |
~510,992 new cases (GLOBOCAN); ASIR ~4.7/100k; 12th most common cancer |
~22,962 new cases; ASIR ~1.6/100k; higher in men (~2.2/100k); rising trend in urban adults |
|
Deaths |
~467,409 deaths; 6th leading cause of cancer death worldwide |
~21,466 deaths; very poor prognosis due to late detection and limited specialized care |
|
Age & Gender |
Mostly affects people 60+; slightly more common in men |
Common after 55 years; more in men (male:female ≈ 2:1); linked to diabetes, pancreatitis |
|
Hotspots |
High in North America, Europe, Japan, Uruguay, and Hungary |
Growing in metros like Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai, Kolkata, Bengaluru |
|
Rural vs Urban |
Common in urban regions globally; worse outcomes in poor-resource settings |
Urban detection is higher due to better diagnostics; rural cases are under-reported & diagnosed late |
|
5-yr Survival |
Very low: ~10–11% globally; <5% in advanced stages |
Often <10% in India; some reports suggest as low as 5–7%, due to late-stage diagnosis |
|
Common Type |
Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma (PDAC) >90% of cases |
Same in India; PDAC is most common. Risks: smoking, obesity, diabetes, alcohol use, genetic factors |
Due to its late diagnosis, it is usually detected in the advanced stage, from which a complete cure is almost impossible; early detection and treatment can help you become disease-free.
If the cancer is localized and does not spread (metastasize), then it can be effectively treated, which increases the chances of survival.
Approximately 8-10% of people with timely detection and treatment can have a better survival rate and can be disease-free. People with late diagnoses have a survival rate of 3-3.5 years.
If you have a family history of pancreatic, breast, or ovarian cancer, genetic testing for BRCA1/BRCA2 mutations may be advised to assess your r
Yes. It is completely safe even in advanced stages. Since the treatment uses the patient’s immune cells, side effects are mild and manageable, such as low-grade fever or fatigue.
Response time varies depending on patient condition and cancer type. Some may see improvements within a few weeks, while others may take longer.
