For the month of November, I'm going to be BRUTALLY honest about the type of pancreatic cancer I was diagnosed with & the other pancreatic cancer, as well as other cancers. We'll take a look at survival rates, awareness, drugs from "Big Pharma" and the amount of research funds invested into pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma vs other cancers. I believe you'll be shocked.
Also, I'm going to share with you the projected growth of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma over the next 5 years. It may frighten you, but it should frighten you! It is the ONLY major cancer that is on the rise & is projected to become the #2 cancer killer in the USA, surpassing BOTH Colon AND Breast Cancer. Women, Moms, Aunts, Sisters, Grandmothers & friends need to be VERY afraid! It is coming upon a time when women will be DYING from Pancreatic Cancer rather than Breast Cancer...AND THERE IS NO EARLY DETECTION TEST! The majority of patients are diagnosed at Stage IV. The median survival time is ONLY 5 months. Who will it be? You? Your Mom? Your Sister? Your best friend? Your favorite Aunt? It's coming, but I seem to be in a small group of people who is taking this seriously. Why aren't you?
So when your GYN talks to you about BRCA 1 & 2, keep in mind, IF you have a mutation to these genes, you ARE AT GREATER RISK FOR PANCREATIC CANCER. I'll dive into this in a future blog.
First, I want to distinguish between the 2 primary types of Pancreatic Cancer. They are: Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma. It is very aggressive & accounts for 95% of all cases and is considered the "deadliest" cancer. This is what Patrick Swayze died from. The other type of Pancreatic Cancer is: Pancreatic Neuroendocrine Tumors. These tumors are generally less aggressive & slower growing. This is the type of Pancreatic Cancer-pNETs, that Steve Jobs died from.
Now I'm going to show you the 5 year survival rates for BOTH of the pancreatic cancers, as well as the 5 year survival for the other top cancer killers in the US. All of which are on the decline, except for Pancreatic Cancer.
For Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma: (#4 Cancer Killer and on the rise.Projected to be
the #2 Cancer Killer by 2015)
Stage IA: 14%
Stage IB: 12%
Stage IIA: 7%
Stage IIB: 5%
Stage III: 3%
Stage IV: 1%
Overall: 6%
For Pancreatic Neuroendocrine Tumors:
Stage I: 61%
Stage II: 52%
Stage III: 41%
Stage IV: 16%
Overall: 42%
NIH funding for Pancreatic Cancer research for FY2013: $102 Million
For Lung Cancer: (#1 Cancer and on the decline)
Stage IA: 49%
Stage IB: 45%
Stage IIA: 30%
Stage IIB: 31%
Stage IIIA: 14%
Stage IIIB: 5%
Stage IV: 1%
Overall: 16%
NIH funding for Lung Cancer research for FY2013: $286 Million
For Colon Cancer: (#2 Cancer and on the decline)
Stage I: 74%
Stage IIA: 67%
Stage IIB: 59%
Stage IIC: 37%
Stage IIIA: 73%*
Stage IIIB: 46%*
Stage IIIC: 28%
Stage IV: 6%
Overall: 65%
*In this study, survival was better for some stage III cancers than for some stage II cancers. The reasons for this are not clear.
For Rectal Cancer:
Stage I: 74%
Stage IIA: 65%
Stage IIB: 52%
Stage IIC: 32%
Stage IIIA: 74%*
Stage IIIB: 45%*
Stage IIIC: 33%
Stage IV: 6%
Overall: 62%
*In this study, survival was better for some stage III cancers than some stage II cancers.
The reasons for this are not clear.
NIH Funding for colon/rectum cancer research FY2013: $238 Million
For Breast Cancer: (Currently #3 Cancer, on the decline and equal in deaths to Pancreatic
Cancer)
Stage 0: 100%
Stage I: 100%
Stage II: 93%
Stage III: 72%
Stage IV: 22%
Overall: 89%
NIH Funding for Breast Cancer for FY2013: $559 Million
For Prostate Cancer: (Currently #5 Cancer and on the decline in deaths)
Stage I: 100%
Stage IIA: 99%
Stage IIB: 99%
Stage III: 99%
Stage IV: 29%
Overall 5 year survival: 100%
Overall 10 year survival: 99%
Overall 15 year survival: 94%
NIH Funding for Prostate Cancer for FY2013: $256 Million
So, based on these numbers, I believe we can DEMAND Senators Mitch McConnel & Rand Paul to do away with NIH funding for Prostate Cancer and put that money toward the cancers that are KILLERS: Pancreatic & Lung Cancer!
Don't get me wrong! All cancer is bad, but there are definitely ones that are much more deadly than others! Isn't it time to reallocate the funds to the cancers that really need it and have not had survival statistics improve in over 40 years? Hell, that was when you had to use a telephone booth with a DIME!!
I'M MAD AS HELL AND I'M NOT TAKING IT ANYMORE!!! I'M TIRED OF SEEING MOM AFTER MOM AFTER MOM LOSE THE BATTLE WITH PANCREATIC CANCER!
Everyone in this country should be very afraid and demanding that more money go to Pancreatic Cancer. Who knows, it may be your Mom, sister, wife, Aunt or cousin that is next. It is growing that fast!
