Pancreatic Cancer Prognosis  

Pancreatic cancer prognosis depends on the extent of the tumor, its type and quality of surgery performed. The chances of surviving pancreatic cancer are often low because usually when symptoms appear, the tumor is already advanced and formed metastases in nearby lymph nodes or in the liver or other organs. In fact, only 5 to 10 percent of patients operated for pancreatic cancer are still alive five years after the surgery; some do not survive the surgery.   

According to the National Cancer Institute, about 7% of pancreas cancer cases are diagnosed while the cancer is still confined to the primary site (localized stage); 26% are diagnosed after the cancer has spread to regional lymph nodes or directly beyond the primary site; 53% are diagnosed after the cancer has already metastasized (distant stage) and for the remaining 14% the staging information is unknown.  

The corresponding 5-year relative survival rates were:      

• 22.2% for localized;  
• 8.7% for regional;  
• 1.8% for distant;  
• and 4.9% for unstaged. 

In addition, the survival rates vary with race and sex. The overall 5-year relative survival rate for 1999-2005 from 17 SEER (Surveillance Epidemiology and Ends Results) geographic areas was 5.5%. Five-year relative survival rates by race and sex were:  

often lead to side effects:    

• 5.5% for white men; 
• 5.5% for white women;  
• 4.5% for black men;  
• 6.2% for black women.

      Pancreatic Cancer Treatment                                          Pancreatic Cancer Prevention