Prognosis For Pancreatic Cancer Stage 4
The prognosis of pancreatic cancer (pancreatic adenocarcinoma) is very difficult, although survival rates have gradually increased especially over the last ten to fifteen years. It is important to realize that each one is an individual; Every cancer is different. Survival rate for pancreatic cancer stage 4 - Statistics can only show what tends to happen in an aggregate, and not in the case of an individual.
The average duration of life from the time of diagnosis to death is undoubtedly the most serious cause of any cancer-certainly primary cancer. The median survival for untreated pancreatic cancer is approximately 3 1/2 months; With this good treatment increased to about eight months, although many will live longer. We found nine and eleven and twelve survivors.
Perhaps this is a good place to discuss the medium term. Simply, the median is the time point that separates half of the patients who live more than half who will live less. Prognosis for pancreatic cancer stage 4 - Thus, there are many patients who will live longer than the median. See Also: Early Signs of Pancreatic Cancer Symptoms
The prognostic figures of the American Cancer Society show that the stage at which pancreatic cancer is diagnosed is very correlated with survival; Obviously better. But the stats are still quite difficult. The five-year survival rate with good treatment is considered to be about 8%. Again, it is important to understand that each individual situation; Every cancer is different. Statistics can only show what tends to happen in an aggregate, and not in the case of an individual. Many people do better than average.
Prognosis of pancreatic cancer stage 4 - The prognosis for those who are able to undergo surgery is improving compared to those who cannot afford it. Unfortunately, only about 15% of people with pancreatic cancer will be eligible for surgery-for the most part, cancer will be considered too advanced. For example, patients with pancreatic cancer who received the Whipple's surgical procedure in a study (from a team experienced in the Johns Hopkins team) reported a 5-year survival rate of 21%, with an average survival of 15.5 months. In more recent studies, the average survival duration of five years after surgery has been reported as being twenty months.
The forecast is also better for those whose pancreatic cancer is diagnosed at an early stage. Treatment for pancreatic cancer stage 4 - The average survival time from diagnosis with advanced chemotherapy treatment of pancreatic cancer was reported in 6 to 12 months.
Patients with neuroendocrine tumors tend to have a much better prognosis than, for example, those with pancreatic adenocarcinoma. The natural history of neuroendocrine tumors, tumors of island cells and carcinoid tumors tend to be very different compared to pancreatic adenocarcinoma. For example, the average survival duration at the time of diagnosis for patients with metastatic neural tumors of island cells is close to five years.
Treatment For Pancreatic Cancer Stage 4
Why should all cases of acute pancreatitis be investigated? Though most acute pancreatitis does not conceal cancer, in no case an acute incident should be left without a substantive diagnosis. More often than not, an episode of acute pancreatitis is due to cholelithiasis or alcohol abuse. However, there are some cases, especially in younger ages, where neither of these causes can be found. In such cases, perhaps the reason for this event is that an abnormal mucus is excreted by the cells of the pancreas, which fills the pancreatic duct. This viscous mucus prevents the smooth and normal flow of pancreatic fluid to the intestine. This causes a lot of pressure in the pancreas, which is the cause of pancreatitis.The symptoms: Repeated pancreatitis that can sometimes be very severe. The initially benign condition, if left, leads to the appearance of pancreatic cancer in these patients.
The diagnosis: Diagnosis is particularly difficult and requires a thorough knowledge of this subject so that the doctor can suspect this and properly investigate it. Unfortunately, it is known only among special pancreatic surgeons and remains unknown to most physicians. Our surgical team has extensive experience in this disease since the first worldwide relevant scientific publication came from Mayo Clinic where we had been involved in clinical research and studies.
Diagnosis is done with very specific and problem-oriented examinations since the surgeon has the insight to suspect it. Unfortunately, the most common is the pancreatitis episodes to be attributed to other reasons, to spend enough time and the volume to grow and expand.
The radical therapy: If the diagnosis is done in time, the small part of the pancreas that produces the mucus is removed. This treatment is complete and, above all, radical. The patient should no longer be worried about the appearance of pancreatic cancer for the rest of his life.
The most common myths about pancreatic cancer that have to be broken down. When the tumor is infiltrated by the portal vein or the upper mesentery vein, surgeons in Greece and internationally consider it inoperable. But in reality, this may not be the case. First, the length of the vein, as well as the percentage of the region that is filtered, is to be studied with exhaustive detail. In many cases of these veins (certainly not all), it is possible to remove their filtered part and replace it with a graft derived either from another vein of the patient itself or from an artificial graft. Prognosis for pancreatic cancer stage 4, survival rate and treatment of pancreatic cancer - This technique has been used many times and we have achieved radical, therapeutic resections in tumors that were considered unresolved both in Greece and abroad.
When the tumor is large enough in the pancreas region and thus greatly infiltrates the portal vein, or the upper mesenteric artery and the liver artery, it is considered "locally inoperable", in contrast to cases of multiple distant metastases. In this case, we follow the method of preoperative chemotherapy, or even neoadjuvant chemoradiation therapy, in order to achieve a significant shrinkage of the tumor, namely downstaging, thus releasing the filtered vessels and becoming operable.
During pancreatectomy surgery, not only the pancreatic region with the tumor but also all the fat and lymph nodes surrounding the pancreas are removed. To do this, all the arteries and veins of the area, namely the portal, upper mesenteric and splenic veins, the upper mesentery and the hepatic artery, and the inferior vena cava must literally be stripped. So we achieve broad lymphatic cleansing with more than 15-20 lymph nodes. Only this way our operation is considered radical and truly therapeutic, reducing the risk of recurrence.
Prognosis for pancreatic cancer stage 4, survival rate and treatment of pancreatic cancer - In very rare and severely selected cases of patients with pancreatic cancer who have liver metastases at the same time, we can proceed with pancreatectomy at the same time as removal of one or both of the coexisting liver metastases. It is emphasized that this is rare and WHEN when many metastases occur in the liver. This method, of course, requires a surgeon with excellent experience in both pancreatic and hepatic surgery. It is known, however, that where and when this method can be applied, it improves survival as compared to staying liver metastases and being treated post-operatively with chemotherapy.