Increased Rate of Pancreatic Cancer Reported in Women

Researchers from Cedars-Sinai Cancer have established that pancreatic cancer rates are rising nationwide on a massive scale, and are rising quicker among younger women, particularly Black women, than among males of the same age. The peer-reviewed journal Gastroenterology published their work. “We can tell that the rate of pancreatic cancer among women is rising rapidly, which calls attention to the need for further research in this area,” said Srinivas Gaddam, MD, associate director of Pancreatic Biliary Research at Cedars-Sinai and senior author of the study. “There’s a need to understand these trends, and to make changes today so this doesn’t affect women disproportionately in the future.”

The pancreas, which is situated directly behind the stomach, secretes hormones and enzymes that aid in sugar and food digestion. Pancreatic cancer is more common in men and has the highest mortality rate of all major malignancies and accounts for 3% of all cancer fatalities in the U.S. The National Program of Cancer Registries (NCPR) database, which contains information on individuals with pancreatic cancer diagnosed between 2001 and 2018, comprises roughly 64.5% of the population of the United States.

Researchers discovered that both women and men were experiencing an increase in pancreatic cancer cases. Unexpectedly, rates for women under the age of 55 climbed by 2.4% more than for men in the same age group, although older men and women also experienced increases in rates. Additionally, rates for young Black women increased by 2.23% more than for young Black men. “And while we’re reporting improving survival in pancreatic cancer each year, that improvement is largely among men,” Gaddam said. “The mortality rate among women is not improving.”

The investigators have proposed the type and location of malignancies as one explanation. The researchers discovered that the prevalence of pancreatic head adenocarcinoma, a particularly dangerous and aggressive kind of tumour located at the head of the pancreas, seemed to be rising.

Gaddam emphasized that while it is crucial for future studies to look into the reasons behind these trends, the current increase is minimal and his findings shouldn’t raise worry.

“The data shows us a small increase in the risk of pancreatic cancer,” he said. “And that awareness might refocus people on the need to stop smoking, reduce alcohol use, eat a healthy diet, exercise regularly, and manage their weight. These lifestyle changes help decrease the risk of pancreatic cancer.”

Gaddam noted that although people with persistent abdominal pain frequently worry, they have pancreatic cancer, however, this is typically a sign of another ailment. However, those who experience unexplained weight loss or jaundice, which is characterized by a yellowing of the skin and the whites of the eyes, should contact a doctor because these conditions could be indications of pancreatic cancer or other serious health conditions.

In the future, Gaddam’s research will concentrate on figuring out the reasons for these patterns, including looking at potential variations between pancreatic cancers in men and women. “This continuing work will help us to evaluate the effectiveness of new healthcare interventions, with the goal of identifying and addressing disparities in patient outcomes and access to effective treatment,” said Dan Theodorescu, MD, Ph.D., director of Cedars-Sinai Cancer and the PHASE ONE Distinguished Chair. “This is an ongoing focus throughout Cedars-Sinai Cancer as we serve our diverse population and can also inform public health policies to benefit patients everywhere.”

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