Pancreatic cancer will be the most common cause of death after breast cancer in 2020, alarms the Pancreatic Cancer Action Network on the occasion of the World Pancreatic Cancer Day on November 13.
The President of the Polish Oncology Union, Dr. Janusz Meder, points out that also in our country the morbidity and mortality due to pancreatic cancer, one of the most dangerous malignant neoplasms, is constantly increasing.
The data of the National Cancer Registry show that in the last 30 years the incidence of pancreatic cancer in Poland has almost doubled. While in 1980 the disease was diagnosed in 1870 people, in 2010 over 3250 patients contracted it. The greatest increase in the incidence occurred among Polish women: in 1980 this cancer was detected in 858 women, and in 2010 – in 1628.
For this reason, World Pancreatic Cancer Day on November 13 is also celebrated for the first time as the National Day of Pancreatic Cancer Patients. We want to point out how dangerous this cancer is and how, despite many difficulties, you can deal with it – says Wiesława Adamiec from the United Way Polska foundation.
The head of the surgery department of the oncology clinic of the Oncology Center in Warsaw, Dr. Andrzej Cichocki explains that pancreatic cancer is still quite a rare cancer. In our country, it accounts for only 2 percent. all cancers (in Europe – 3%). However, it is extremely lethal.
In the European Union, 2012 were detected in 78. 654 cases of pancreatic cancer, of which as many as 77 died in the same year. 940 sick. It is already the fourth cause of death (in Poland it is still in sixth place). According to the Pancreatic Cancer Action Network, this cancer will be the second leading cause of death in 2020, after breast cancer.
Pancreatic cancer is an increasingly common cause of death compared to other neoplastic diseases. This is because the effectiveness of detecting and treating this cancer has not changed much for several decades, emphasizes Dr. Meder.
The specialist adds that in the past, other cancers were also difficult to treat, but many of them today are effective therapies that can cure the patient or at least extend his life. Examples include breast cancer, kidney cancer, prostate cancer, melanoma, and even lung cancer. Some cancers are even considered a chronic disease, such as myeloid leukemia and myeloma.
Head of the oncology clinic of the Oncology Center in Warsaw, prof. Piotr Wysocki emphasizes that progress has also been made in the treatment of pancreatic cancer. Until recently, patients with an inoperable tumor of this organ, treated only systemically (with chemotherapy – PAP), had only six-month survival. Now they are longer, especially in some patients, but compared to other cancers, the progress is still much too slow. For example, in some women with metastatic breast cancer, survival of up to five years can be achieved.
In Poland, an additional difficulty is the fact that not all drugs that are used in the treatment of pancreatic cancer in other countries are available – adds the specialist. According to Dr. Meder, 23 percent survive a year after detecting this cancer. patients; five-year survival occurs in only 6 percent. sick.
PCAN says pancreatic cancer should become a priority in research into new cancer treatments. For now, his treatment is generally only palliative.
We hope that, as in the case of other cancers, also pancreatic cancer patients will create their own organizations supporting them in the fight against the disease, but for now it is not possible because they live too short – emphasizes Adamiec.
Dr. Mariola Kosowicz from the psycho-oncology clinic of the Cancer Center in Warsaw points out that pancreatic cancer patients are more likely to become depressed compared to other cancer patients. Research shows that as many as 28 percent suffer from depression. patients with this cancer, while among other cancer patients this percentage does not exceed 18%. – adds the specialist.
The main reason for this is the lack of therapeutic options. You must give hope to every patient, but it must be real hope – emphasizes Dr. Kosowicz. She adds that for the patient, not only the survival time is important, but also the quality of life. In pancreatic cancer, it is often too small.
Zbigniew Wojtasiński (PAP)