A pproximately 28,000 cases of adenocarcinoma of the pancreas are diagnosed annually in the United States, including nearly 500 cases in Missouri.
Pancreatic cancer is particularly difficult to treat since it often presents at an advanced stage.
The only chance for cure in patients with pancreatic cancer is the removal of that portion of the pancreas containing the cancer. Unfortunately, many patients present at a stage where surgical resection is not feasible. This is usually because the tumor already has spread to other areas, such as the liver or lymph nodes, or because the tumor involves major intestinal blood vessels. It is important to have a surgeon or oncologist with expertise in the treatment of pancreatic tumors evaluate a patient to assess resectability accurately. In cases of advanced pancreatic cancer where the tumor cannot be removed surgically, other treatment modalities are available to help improve the patient's quality of life and prolong survival.