ASGE and The Pancreatic Cancer Action Network Partner to Raise Awareness About Pancrea...( november is Pancreatic Cancer Awarene...),Health

november is Pancreatic Cancer Awareness Month

Oak Brook, Ill., Nov. 24 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ --The American Society for Gastrointestinal Endoscopy (ASGE) and the Pancreatic Cancer Action Network are teaming up this November to raise awareness about pancreatic cancer, educating patients about the disease and the resources that are available for them.

Pancreatic cancer is the fourth leading cause of cancer deaths in the U.S. In 2008, an estimated 37,680 Americans will be diagnosed with pancreatic cancer and 34,290 will die from the disease. Seventy-five percent of pancreatic cancer patients die within the first year of their diagnosis and only five percent survive more than five years. Unfortunately, it is one of the few cancers for which survival has not improved substantially over the past 25 years. Men are 20 percent more likely to get pancreatic cancer than women and the majority of cases occur in people over the age of 65. The incidence rate among African Americans is 40 to 50 percent higher than other ethnic groups.

"While the statistics on pancreatic cancer are sobering, it is important for patients to know that treatment does exist for pancreatic cancer. Clinical trials can provide important treatment options beyond what is currently available," said Mark B. Pochapin, MD, chair of ASGE's Public and Member Outreach Committee and member of the Pancreatic Cancer Action Network's Medical Advisory Council. In addition, advanced technologies are allowing for the diagnosis of pancreatic cancer at earlier, more treatable stages.ASGE and the Pancreatic Cancer Action Network encourage patients and their families to become educated about the disease, to ask their doctor about treatments and to reach out for support. The organization's Patient and Liaison Services program and Survivor Caregiver Network can be accessed at www.pancan.org to h
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