Q: what is pancreatic cancer and how do people get it?

Cause unknown.: The cause of pancreatic cancer is unknown, but is likely genetic.

Q: is virchow's node a rare presentation of pancreatic cancer?

Not common: it happens in some people. When we see someone with a Virchow's node, we start looking for cancer. It can spread to there from many organs, including the pancreas.

Q: what is the fraction of people who get pancreatic cancer and survive?

Pancreatic cancer: Pancreatic cancer is often found after it has already spread outside the pancreas. For all patients together, the one year survival is 20% and the five-year rate is 6%. However, if surgery is able to be performed and the tumor has not spread outside the pancreas, the five-year survival could be as much as 25%. Talk to your oncologist, who can give you more precise information. Good luck.

Question 1

how rare is it for someone my age to get pancreatic cancer. i know rare, but how rare? 1 in 10, 20, a 100, a 1000?

Accepted Answer

Pancreatic Cancer: You are really asking for specifics where there are none. 90% of those diagnosed with pancreatic cancer are older than 55.  The average age of diagnosis is 71 years of age.  It is very rare to get this diagnosis under age 50.

Question 2

what is the usual level of lipase in someone with pancreatic cancer? how elevated does it get?

Accepted Answer

Poor test for cancer: Lipase is usually not elevated in Cancer arising from the Pancreas...so it is not a test we do to check for Cancer. Lipase and Amylase are tests done to make a diagnosis of Pancreatitis

Question 3

could children get pancreatic cancer?

Accepted Answer

Yes indeed: The usual form is pancreatoblastoma, a tumor with a different appearance and behavior from common adult pancreatic cancer. It's quite uncommon, with a few dozen cases in the us each year. A microscopic photo of one such tumor is shown in the picture.

Question 4

can i get pancreatic cancer my age is19?

Accepted Answer

Possible: Unfortunately, cancer shows no limits in terms of what ages it can affect. However, cancer is much less likely in a 19 year old. I recommend waiting for official biopsy results before assuming this is cancer. It will be important to know not only if it is a pancreatic cancer, but also to know what type of cancer.

Question 5

is pancreatic cancer rare in 25 year olds?

Accepted Answer

Yes.: But, not unheard of.  The typical adenocarcinoma of the pancreas is much more common in middle-aged to elderly patients.  There are some other types of cancer, more endocrine in nature, which can occur in younger patients.  Make sure you have a discussion with your doctor, who can guide you to a competent surgeon and oncologist, if needed.  Good luck.

Question 6

how many people get pancreatic cancer every year?

Accepted Answer

See below: Estimated new cases and deaths from pancreatic cancer in the United States in 2012:


  new cases: 43, 920
 
  deaths: 37, 390.

Question 7

how does one get pancreatic cancer at a young age?

Accepted Answer

Don't Know: 85% of cancers are sporadic. When it happens in young patients (<50 yrs) we need to consider hereditary syndromes (ei: brca1 mutation) and familial syndromes. Most likely we won't know why it happened. What's important now is treatment. Speak to the oncologist who will help set a plan of treatment.

Question 8

what is pancreatic cancer and how do people get it?

Accepted Answer

Cause unknown.: The cause of pancreatic cancer is unknown, but is likely genetic.

Question 9

is virchow's node a rare presentation of pancreatic cancer?

Accepted Answer

Not common: it happens in some people.  When we see someone with a Virchow's node, we start looking for cancer.  It can spread to there from many organs, including the pancreas.

Question 10

what is the fraction of people who get pancreatic cancer and survive?

Accepted Answer

Pancreatic cancer: Pancreatic cancer is often found after it has already spread outside the pancreas. For all patients together, the one year survival is 20% and the five-year rate is 6%. However, if surgery is able to be performed and the tumor has not spread outside the pancreas, the five-year survival could be as much as 25%. Talk to your oncologist, who can give you more precise information. Good luck.

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Doctor answers about:

How rare is it for someone to get pancreatic cancer

A member asked:

How rare is it for someone my age to get pancreatic cancer. i know rare, but how rare? 1 in 10, 20, a 100, a 1000?

A member asked:

What is the usual level of lipase in someone with pancreatic cancer? how elevated does it get?

A member asked:

Could children get pancreatic cancer?

A member asked:

Can i get pancreatic cancer my age is19?

A member asked:

Is pancreatic cancer rare in 25 year olds?

A member asked:

How many people get pancreatic cancer every year?

A member asked:

How does one get pancreatic cancer at a young age?

A member asked:

What is pancreatic cancer and how do people get it?

A member asked:

Is virchow's node a rare presentation of pancreatic cancer?

A member asked:

What is the fraction of people who get pancreatic cancer and survive?

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