According to the National Cancer institute, 72 is the median age of patients diagnosed with pancreatic cancer, while the median age of death is 73. The National Cancer Institute estimates that 11.7 out of every 100,000 men and women in the U.S. will be diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. These statistics are based on data collected between 2002 and 2006. While pancreatic cancer tends to have relatively low survival rates due to the proximity of the pancreas to other organs, the specific prognosis depends on the stage at which the cancer was diagnosed and the patients overall health.
Prognosis
The prognosis for pancreatic cancer is reported by the American Cancer Society and the National Cancer Institute in terms of 5-year survival statistics. Five-year survival statistics indicate the percentage of patients still alive 5 years after being diagnosed with a particular stage of cancer. Patients who are alive for 5 years following diagnosis may be alive for many years after, but 5 years is the point at which the ACS and NCI report the statistics. The statistics are adjusted to account for deaths unrelated to cancer. According to the American Cancer Society, approximately 20 percent of all patients diagnosed with pancreatic cancer, at any stage, live for at least 1 year following the diagnosis. Only 4 percent of all diagnosed patients are still alive after 5 years. Therefore, this suggests that as of 2009, the prognosis for pancreatic cancer is poor.
Stage 1 Prognosis
Cancer staging considers three factors: a T factor, which corresponds with tumor size; an N factor, which corresponds with the presence of cancer in the lymph nodes; and and an M factor, which corresponds with metastases (spread) of cancer to other parts of the body. Patients diagnosed with Stage I cancer have 2 clinical pathologies. Stage IA is characterized by a T factor of 1. This means the tumor is smaller then 2 cm and is in the pancreas only. Stage IB is characterized by a T factor of 2. This means the tumor is larger then 2 cm and still remains only in the pancreas. Both the N and M factors are 0 which means the cancer has not spread anywhere. The five year survival rates for Stage IA and Stage IB respectively are 37 percent and 21 percent. Therefore, the prognosis is again poor, as only 37 percent or 21 percent will survive 5 years after diagnosis.
Stage 2 Prognosis
Like Stage I, Stage II pancreatic cancer also has two clinical pathologies. The first, Stage IIA, is characterized by a T factor of 3. This means the tumor has extended outside of the pancreas but has not yet entered the adjacent large blood vessels. The N and M factors are 0. Stage IIB is characterized by an N factor of 1. This means there is cancer in adjacent lymph nodes. The T factor is irrelevant as the N factor is the determiner of Stage IIB pancreatic cancer. The M factor is 0. Stage II cancer has a poor prognosis, as only 12 percent of Stage IIA patients and 6 percent of stage IIB patients are alive 5 years after diagnosis.
Stage 3 Prognosis
Stage III pancreatic cancer has a very poor prognosis; only 2 percent of diagnosed patients are alive 5 years after diagnosis. Stage III is characterized by a T factor of 4, which means the cancer has spread to the blood vessels or nerves near the pancreas. The lymph node factor, or N factor, is not relevant in the determination, and the M factor is 0.
Stage 4 Prognosis
Stage IV pancreatic cancer refers to cancer that has spread beyond the pancreas and adjacent organs and blood vessels. The 5-year survival rate for this stage of pancreatic cancer is only 1 percent. Stage IV cancer cannot be cured so treatment focuses on pain management and slowing the cancer's growth.
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