90 per cent die of it: What is pancreatic cancer so insidious makes
After diagnosis, patients live on average 4 months: In contrast to many other types of cancer, more and more EU citizens will die of pancreatic cancer, because of the deadly Tumor evades the innovative therapies and is usually diagnosed, when it is too late.
This was the result of a report of the European gastroenterology Federation (UEG, or United European Gastroenterology). The number of deaths has increased between 1990 and 2016, by five percent.
When pancreatic cancer more than 90 percent of the patients still die Alexander Stein from the cancer centre of the Hamburg University hospital Eppendorf (UKE) says. It is the Tumor, in which all new therapies worse to apply than other types of cancer. Although the number of new increases in colon cancer and breast cancer, at the same time, these types of cancer would be discovered, but earlier and earlier, and are increasingly treatable.
Cancer of the pancreas (pancreatic) was induced in the year 2015 is the fourth most common cause of death from cancer in Germany. According to the Federal statistical office, around 17,000 people – more than seven per cent of all deaths from cancer died from it. One of the lungs were, therefore, – and lung cancer, along with more than 45,000, colon cancer with 24,000 and breast cancer with more than 18,000 dead.
After all, 20 to 30 percent of the patients recover
The pancreas has two important functions: it produces digestive juices, without which man could not digest food. On the other hand, it forms a vital hormones such as Insulin, which regulates blood sugar levels. In the pancreas, a Tumor developed, is usually late symptoms, such as pain in the upper abdomen or weight loss realize.
In approximately half of the patients, the cancer has spread at the time of diagnosis already. Then only a permanent chemotherapy helps to extend the life a bit, says stone. A good third of all cases, it is possible to remove the Tumor surgically. But these people in a sole Operation for five years offers seen only a chance of Survival by 10 percent. Therefore, we combined the surgery with chemotherapy. Then, 20 to 30 percent of these patients recover after all.
The immune system does not recognize the Tumor
The research for new therapies against pancreatic cancer are doing so difficult, mainly for two reasons: In the case of most other types of cancer, the immune system recognizes the Tumor in any Form. When pancreatic cancer does not work, explains stone. The current wave of immunotherapies over rolls on pancreatic cancer. It should be investigated how one can become immune reaction caused at all.
The second Problem lies in the structure of the tumor is justified, says stone. The pancreatic cancer was not a lump, but look like connective tissue. Thus, the substances of the chemotherapy can penetrate into the Tumor, you need to get a certain shape, and chemical packaging. Also due to the fact will continue to research.
Why it ever comes to pancreatic cancer, is almost unknown. Risk factors include Smoking and a high consumption of processed meat products. Currently, researchers from Israel reported that obesity in adolescence is glands the risk of a future pancreatic cancer multiply. In men, slightly Overweight from rich to increase the vulnerability, wrote the scientists from the University of Tel Aviv in the journal Cancer. For the study, they had analysed the data of nearly two million people.