Pancreatic cancer increasing, awareness low

Vien, Oct 19: While the incidence of pancreatic cancer is increasing, awareness about the disease remains relatively low, experts said at a conference here on gastroenterology, media reported. The United European Gastroenterology (UEG) Week conference on Tuesday noted that about 100,000 people in Europe are expected to have pancreatic cancer in the coming year, overtaking the population with breast cancer, which is estimated to stand around 90,000, Xinhua news agency reported.
However, the outlook for pancreatic cancer patients has not improved noticeably. Femme Harinck from the Erasmus Medical Centre in the Netherlands said over 80 per cent of cases are only identified when the cancer is in its advanced stage as symptoms often appear late. According to Harinck, the five-year survival rate for this cancer between 2008 and 2012 was only 7 per cent, far less than the 70 per cent of colon cancer. Nuria Malats, from the Spanish tiol Cancer Research Centre and holding a similar view, said the incidence of pancreatic cancer in the US is expected to increase from 40 per 100,000 people in 2010 to 70 per 100,000 people by 2030. (IANS)