Pancreatic Cancer Stages
How long does a person with pancreatic cancer have to live?
When pancreatic cancer is discovered, doctors will likely perform additional tests to understand if or where the cancer has spread. Imaging tests, such as a PET scan, help doctors identify the presence of cancerous growths. Blood tests may also be used.
With these tests, doctors are attempting to establish the cancer’s stage. Staging helps explain how advanced the cancer is. It also helps doctors determine treatment options.
Once a diagnosis has been made, your doctor will assign a stage based on the test results:
. Stage 1: tumors exist in the pancreas only
. Stage 2: tumors have spread to nearby abdominal tissues or lymph nodes
. Stage 3: the cancer has spread to major blood vessels and lymph nodes
. Stage 4: tumors have spread to other organs, such as the liver
. Pancreatic cancer stage 4
Stage 4 pancreatic cancer has spread beyond the original site to distant sites, like other organs, the brain, or bones.
Pancreatic cancer is often diagnosed at this late stage because it rarely causes symptoms until it has spread to other sites. Symptoms you might experience at this advanced stage include:
. Pain in the upper abdomen
. Pain in the back
. Fatigue
. Jaundice (yellowing of the skin)
. A loss of appetite
. Weight loss
. Depression
Stage 4 pancreatic cancer cannot be cured, but treatments can relieve symptoms and prevent complications from the cancer. These treatments can include:
. Palliative pain treatments
. Bile duct bypass surgery
. Bile duct stent
Survival rates
Survival rates are estimates of how long a person may live after receiving a certain cancer diagnosis. All survival rates are estimates — a person’s outlook really depends on factors unique to them.
According to the American Cancer Society, when pancreatic cancer has spread to distant organs, the 5-year survival rate is approximately 3% (The five-year survival rate for stage 4 pancreatic cancer is 3 percent).
However, a person’s age, overall health, and other factors can contribute to their outlook. A doctor will take all of these into consideration and make informed recommendations.
. Pancreatic cancer stage 3
Stage 3 pancreatic cancer is a tumor in the pancreas and possibly nearby sites, such as lymph nodes or blood vessels. Pancreatic cancer at this stage has not spread to distant sites.
Pancreatic cancer is called a silent cancer because it is often not diagnosed until it has reached an advanced stage. If you have symptoms of stage 3 pancreatic cancer, you may experience:
. Pain in the back
. Pain or tenderness in the upper abdomen
. A loss of appetite
. Weight loss
. Fatigue
. Depression
Stage 3 pancreatic cancer is difficult to cure, but treatments can help prevent the spread of the cancer and ease symptoms caused by the tumor. These treatments may include:
. Surgery to remove a portion of the pancreas (Whipple procedure)
. Anti-cancer drugs
. Radiation therapy
The five-year survival rate for stage 3 pancreatic cancer is 3 to 12 percent.
The majority of people with this stage of the cancer will have a recurrence. That’s likely due to the fact that micrometastases, or small areas of undetectable cancer growth, have spread beyond the pancreas as the time of detection.
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. Pancreatic cancer stage 2
Stage 2 pancreatic cancer is cancer that remains in the pancreas and may have spread to a few nearby lymph nodes. It has not spread to nearby tissues or blood vessels, and it has not spread to sites elsewhere in the body.
Pancreatic cancer is difficult to detect in the early stages, including stage 2. That’s because it’s unlikely to cause detectable symptoms. If you do have symptoms at this early stage, you may experience:
. Jaundice
. Changes in urine color
. Pain or tenderness in the upper abdomen
. Weight loss
. Loss of appetite
. Fatigue
Treatment may include:
. Surgery
. Radiation
. Chemotherapy
. Targeted drug therapies
Your doctor may use a combination of these approaches to help shrink the tumor and prevent possible metastases. The five-year survival rate for people with stage 2 pancreatic cancer is around 30 percent.
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. Pancreatic cancer stage 1
Stage 1 pancreatic cancer means the cancer is not more than 4 cm in size and it hasn’t spread outside the pancreas. It is split into 1A and 1B.
. Stage 1A
Stage 1A means the cancer is completely inside the pancreas and is smaller than 2 cm. There is no cancer in the lymph nodes Open a glossary item or other areas of the body.
. Stage 1B
Stage 1B means the cancer is completely inside the pancreas and is larger than 2cm but no bigger than 4cm. There is no cancer in the lymph nodes or other areas of the body.
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Pancreatic cancer prognosis
The survival rates for pancreatic cancer have been improving in recent decades. Research and new treatments are expanding the average five-year survival rate for people diagnosed with pancreatic cancer.
However, the disease is still considered difficult to cure. Because pancreatic cancer typically does not cause symptoms until the cancer is in advanced stages, the likelihood the cancer has spread, or metastasized, is high. That make it hard to treat or eliminate the cancer.
Combining alternative measures with traditional medical treatments may help to improve your quality of life. Yoga, meditation, and light exercise might promote a sense of well-being and make you feel better during treatment.
Pancreatic cancer survival rate
A survival rate is a percentage of how many people with the same type and stage of a cancer are still alive after a specific amount of time. This number doesn’t indicate how long people may live. Instead, it helps gauge how successful treatment for a cancer might be.
Many survival rates are given as a five-year percentage. It’s important to keep in mind that survival rates are not definitive. If you have questions about these numbers, talk with your doctor.
The five-year survival rate for localized pancreatic cancer is 34 percent. Localized pancreatic cancer is stages 0, 1, and 2.
The five-year survival rate for regional pancreatic cancer that has spread to nearby structures or lymph nodes is 12 percent. Stages 2B and 3 fall into this category.
Distant pancreatic cancer, or stage 4 cancer that has spread to other sites like the lungs, liver, or bones, has a 3 percent survival rate.
Pancreatic cancer life expectancy
Pancreatic cancer is one of the most deadly forms of cancer — unfortunately, many patients don’t receive a diagnosis until it has spread outside of the pancreas. The five-year survival rate for all stages of pancreatic cancer is 9 percent.
Following all of your doctor’s recommendations can help improve your chances of recovery and survival. You may also consider:
. Pancreatic enzyme supplements to improve digestion
. Pain medications
. Regular follow-up care, even if the cancer is successfully removed
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