The Latest in Early Detection of Pancreatic Cancer

November is Pancreatic Cancer Awareness Month and a time of year when the Pancreatic Cancer Action Network (PanCAN) reminds you about pancreatic cancer, its risk factors, and the importance of research funding for this aggressive disease. Pancreatic cancer begins when abnormal cells in the pancreas grow and divide out of control and form a tumor.

More than 66,000 people are expected to be diagnosed this year in the United States. That’s 181 people diagnosed each day. The good news is that the five-year relative survival rate has increased to 13%, up for the third year in a row. The trend in survival rates is primarily driven by patients diagnosed with localized disease and better management of patients diagnosed at earlier stages. However, pancreatic cancer continues to be the third-leading cause of cancer-related death in men and women combined and is on track to become the second-leading cause before 2030.

Early detection of pancreatic cancer is crucial but continues to be challenging. Pancreatic cancer is often detected at an advanced stage due to subtle or absent early symptoms making early detection critical for improving survival rates. However, advancements in precision medicine, biomarker testing, improved imaging techniques and artificial intelligence are generating some hope for their potential to detect pancreatic cancer early and save lives.

Research shows Black Americans are more likely to be diagnosed with pancreatic cancer than any other racial or ethnic group. The cause of this disparity is unknown, but factors related to systemic racism, the environment, access to nutritious food and barriers to quality healthcare may play a role. 

Precision medicine is an innovative approach to cancer treatment based on a person’s individual biology. Instead of using a one-size-fits-all method, precision medicine looks to provide the right treatment based on the patient’s needs, targeting cancer while minimizing harm to healthy cells. Potential precision medicine treatments can be identified through genetic testing for inherited mutations and tumor biomarker testing.

Biomarker testing of tumor tissue reveals the tumor’s biology, such as genes and proteins within the tumor. Genetic testing for inherited mutations shows mutations a person is born with. This information about molecular alterations can help oncologists identify precision medicine treatments which can include targeted therapies, immunotherapies, chemotherapies and more.

Read more about the latest in pancreatic cancer early detection in PanCAN’s new “Research Spotlight” series written by Chief Scientific and Medical Officer, Anna Berkenblit, MD, MMSc.