[b]Irving, TX[/b] – Pancreatic cancer hits hard when it does and for several reasons. For starters, the pancreas is well hidden somewhere behind the stomach. This makes it difficult to detect any cancer present using the available technologies. The condition does not show any symptoms in its early stages yet this is when it is treatable. This means that by the time symptoms begin to show, the cancer has already progressed thus making it difficult to treat. Sometimes a patient may undergo surgery to remove the cancer but 30 percent remains undetected. This has the cancer recurring later in the patient’s life. All these factors make survival rates for pancreatic cancer very low.

“The odds are really stacked against pancreatic cancer. This is why people need to know what they are dealing with,” says Dr. Echt.

[b]Many of the symptoms that pancreatic cancer[/b] presents are also indicative of other diseases. This is why people should be alert because the symptoms mean there is something amiss. The major symptoms include:

• Back pain –This is among the most common symptoms. The pain may begin as mere discomfort in the abdomen and then radiates to the back. The belly area feels rather tender during this time. It could start mildly in some people and then escalate later on. It may feel worse after eating or lying down but reduce when sitting forward.
• Jaundice–Jaundice is characterized by yellowing of soft tissues. It shows on the skin and whites of the eyes. Jaundice comes with itchy skin, which is caused by bile crystal deposits under the skin.
• Gastrointestinal issues – Indigestion, loss of appetite, and loss of weight may all seem regular signs of something mild but they form part of the early symptoms of pancreatic cancer. Fatigue also features on this list.

“A lot more effort is required in the fight against pancreatic cancer,” adds Dr. Echt. “People can be part of the solution by getting regular screenings, especially if they fall under the high risk population.”

[b]About The Sandler-Kenner Foundation[/b]

The Sandler-Kenner Foundation, established in 2007 as the Las Colinas Cancer Center Foundation, was renamed in early 2011 in the memory of Michael Sandler and Peter Kenner, both of whom passed away from pancreatic cancer, a lethal disease that is difficult to diagnose until it has reached an advanced stage.