Marblehead — With November here and Thanksgiving around the corner, our thoughts tend to focus on family, friends, and all that we have to be thankful for. Did you know that November is also Pancreatic Cancer Awareness Month? What is pancreatic cancer, you ask? A very reasonable question, as there is very little known about this insidious disease.
The pancreas is an organ that aids in the digestion of food, producing enzymes and hormones. This year, 44,000 people will be diagnosed with pancreatic cancer, and this year, more than 37,000 people will die from this disease. The number of people who die from pancreatic cancer is disproportionately higher than other cancers, including breast cancer and prostate cancer. In fact, pancreatic cancer has the number-one fatality rate of all cancers. In the U.S., it is ranked as the fourth-leading cause of cancer death in women and men. The overall survival rate for pancreatic cancer is 6 percent, the lowest of all the major malignancies.
Because of the work of many individuals and organizations, there has been some progress made in pancreatic-cancer treatment. The Lustgarten Foundation for Pancreatic Cancer Research has funded more than 90 research studies leading to small but measurable progress in survival (from three months to six-to-12 months). These small increments matter tremendously to patients and their families. My mother died from this disease, and looking back, I know that I am thankful for those few additional months.
If you would like to learn more about pancreatic cancer, log on to lustgartenfoundation.org.
Because of the work of many individuals and organizations, there has been some progress made in pancreatic-cancer treatment. The Lustgarten Foundation for Pancreatic Cancer Research has funded more than 90 research studies leading to small but measurable progress in survival (from three months to six-to-12 months). These small increments matter tremendously to patients and their families. My mother died from this disease, and looking back, I know that I am thankful for those few additional months.
If you would like to learn more about pancreatic cancer, log on to lustgartenfoundation.org.
— Leda Joyce, Shetland Road
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