Early detection of pancreatic cancer is key in giving patients the best possible outcome, experts from the Comprehensive Cancer Center at the Medical University of Vienna and the Vienna General Hospital said on Wednesday.
In a statement ahead of World Pancreatic Cancer Day on Thursday, it was noted that some 120 people in Austria are diagnosed with this form of cancer every month, and almost as many lose their battle with it.
This is due to both late diagnoses as well as the aggressive nature of such tumors, which causes the third-largest number of cancer-related deaths, despite only making up four percent of all newly-diagnosed forms of cancer.
Further, pancreatic cancer has seen a large 50 percent increase in persons affected over the past 20 years. While surgical methods and medications have improved treatment to some degree, the five-year survival rate for sufferers has only seen marginal improvement.
The experts revealed a checklist of recommendations, including awareness of symptoms, rapid clinical, laboratory, and imaging diagnostics, and speedy appointments to receive a biopsy and diagnosis at a specialist centre.
In addition, the immediate initiation of adequate treatment must occur, those affected and their families informed on diagnosis and treatments, and support made available through pain therapy, nutritional advice, and psychological care.