Pancreatic cancer, the “silent killer”
“He can hide well, and when he is found, it’s too late” it is pancreatic cancer that is not by chance called the “silent killer”. From the diagnosis the life expectancy is around 5 months and only 7% of patients survive 5 years. Scientific research, in the last 40 years, has not made great strides and survival times have never lengthened. Without the ability to have an early diagnosis and especially a diagnosis before the disease is at an advanced stage chemotherapy continues to remain the only weapon.
Pancreatic cancer, an enemy difficult to detect in time
But why is it so difficult to act on this particular tumor? First of all because the pancreas is positioned in one area of the abdomen difficult to see and not very accessible. Also, at the moment there is no screening able to detect in time the neoplasm that tends to spread quickly to other organs. Hidden in the bottom of the abdomen cancer cells grow protected by the stroma (fibrous mass that surrounds the tumor and acts as a barrier against drugs and the immune system). Plus cancer cells release immunosuppressive cells, which create an immune silence so that the tumor is totally protected and not attacked.
Pancreatic cancer, symptoms are often nonspecific
In addition, the symptoms are often nonspecific (loss of weight or appetite, back pain, yellowing of the skin, gastrointestinal problems), there are no very visible alarms and thus, when detected, the tumor is very often in an advanced stage. All this is confirmed by the UEG (European Union of Gastroenterology). At diagnosis, 80% of patients present tumors in incurable stages and in the remaining 20% only surgery can be potentially curative, with relapses of 8 out of 10. Despite this, the scientific community does not give up on research and global mortality is decreasing . This is not the case with pancreatic cancer. In fact, although its incidence is not very high, it is the third most deadly. The rate of pancreatic cancer deaths between 1990 and 2016 it increased by 5%, while deaths from breast, lung or colon cancers decreased by 25%, 20% and 14% respectively.
Pancreatic cancer, more research funding and less bureaucracy
L’immunoterapia, the revolution of the last decade, against this tumor still can’t do much because the particular tumor environment rejects the cells of the immune system. Research is difficult in many respects: llow incidence did not focus much research, the pancreas is easily degraded and therefore it is not easy to work with ei funding is limitedthe. Researchers continue to work on multiple fronts. Starting with early diagnosis. Then on the studies around the stroma and finally with the personalized medicine, the so-called precision one. But the scientists continue to require more research funding and less bureaucracy. An UEG report warned in 2018 that, despite being the third most murderous cancer in Europe, pancreatic cancer receives only 2% of funds dedicated to cancer research. But, in any case, the battle against the “silent killer” continues.