According to the National Cancer Institute, more than 42,000 individuals will be diagnosed with pancreatic cancer this year, and 35,000 of those will die. That is because by the time this deadly cancer is discovered, it is too far advanced for any meaningful treatment. No one knows how pancreatic cancer develops, although there are several risk factors, including smoking and obesity. However, non-smokers and thin people develop pancreatic cancer, too. Unfortunately, there is also no screening test to determine whether or not an individual is at risk for developing the disease, but researchers are working to put that in place within the next five years.

The other discouraging piece of information is that its symptoms are vague and mimic other diseases. So while an individual might be complaining about stomach upset, diarrhea, weight loss, depression and vague back pains, the doctor may be testing for things that are totally unrelated to pancreatic cancer. It isn’t until jaundice sets in or the patient has a severe medical crisis that a firm diagnosis is made – usually through a CT scan, coupled with a CA-19-9 blood test and an endoscopic ultrasound, where a small camera is inserted down the patient’s throat and travels to examine the pancreas.

The only real chance for a pancreatic cancer cure is a complicated surgery called “The Whipple.” During this lengthy operation, parts of the pancreas and large portions of the patient’s digestive tract are removed or rerouted. There is usually a long recovery period and the patient will need to adjust their diet for the rest of their lives. In many cases, they become diabetic, since the pancreas is the organ that helps regulate insulin. Unfortunately, very few people are eligible for this surgery, since by the time the tumor is discovered, it has metastasized to other parts of the body. Once that happens, the only treatment option is chemotherapy, which can not cure the cancer, only stave off the inevitable. Any cancer diagnosis is terrifying, but those who find out that their cancer is in the pancreas have an elevated sense of fright because of the grim statistics. Finding a way to detect pancreatic cancer early, along with discovering more powerful chemotherapy agents, will help eradicate the high number of deaths occurring from this deadly disease each year.

Despite what some believe, cancer is not a result of our modern industrial age. The disease may and can effect all ages, including fetuses, however, the risk for most varieties of cancer will increase with age. Most types of cancer tend to form a tumor, but some, such as leukemia, do not. The disease makes up a total of 13% of over all human deaths, with that, according to the American Cancer Society (ACS), 7.6 million people died of the infamous cancer in the year 2007. The official name of the medical branch for the study of prevention, cure, and treatment of Cancer is oncology.

Carcinogens, or factors that cause cancer, include Radiation, Tobacco smoke, infectious agents, or even some chemicals. Cancer may also be formed in one’s body through DNA or genetic reasons. To the extent of being able to effect humans, cancer can effect ALL animals. The disease is notorious for being able to infect many different parts and areas of the human body. Including but not limited to, the breasts (limited to women), testicles, and the lungs. Knowing this, oncologists have to work on many different treatments for the different variants of cancer, making the hunt for the cure complicated, and very expensive. To aid that, various organizations, such as ACS, the Lance Armstrong foundation, the Walter Payton Cancer fund, Gilda’s Club, and finally the Susan G. Komen breast cancer foundation. All of which work on charity finds, field days, activities of the sorts. Through strict study for the cure, cancer has made large scale effects on modern day society. Hunting for the cure becomes less complicated every year with new break throughs in oncology. When that cure is finally uncovered, man-kind will have a new chapter to write in history books, for the defeat of the dreaded disease