STUDY SHOWS RISING RATES OF PANCREATIC CANCER IN WOMEN

Researchers from Cedars-Sinai Cancer have confirmed that pancreatic cancer rates are rising nationwide on a large scale, and are rising faster among younger women, particularly Black women, than among men of the same age. The study is published in the peer-reviewed journal Gastroenterology.

According to Srinivas Gaddam, MD, associate director of Pancreatic Biliary Research at Cedars-Sinai and senior author of the study, "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." Understanding these trends and implementing changes now will prevent future inequalities in the treatment of women.

The pancreas, which is situated directly behind the stomach, secretes hormones and enzymes that aid in sugar and food digestion. Men are more likely to develop pancreatic cancer than women, which has the highest mortality rate of all major cancers and accounts for 3% of all cancer deaths in the U.S.

The National Program of Cancer Registries (NCPR) database, which contains information on patients with pancreatic cancer diagnosed between 2001 and 2018, is the source of the data used in this study. The NCPR database roughly corresponds to 64.5% of the U.S. population.

Researchers discovered that both women and men were experiencing an increase in pancreatic cancer rates. Unexpectedly, rates for women under the age of 55 increased by 2.4% more than for men in the same age group, while 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. Gaddam added, "And while we're reporting improving pancreatic cancer survival each year, that improvement is largely among men. The mortality rate for women is staying the same".

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

Gaddam emphasised that while it is crucial for future studies to look into the reasons behind these trends, the current increase is small and his findings shouldn't raise alarm. He claimed that the information "shows us a slight increase in the risk of pancreatic cancer." And that awareness might remind people of the importance of quitting smoking, consuming less alcohol, eating a healthy diet, exercising frequently, and controlling their weight. All of these lifestyle modifications assist in lowering the risk of pancreatic cancer.

Gaddam said that although people with persistent abdominal pain frequently worry they have pancreatic cancer, this is typically a sign of another condition. But those who experience unexplained weight loss or jaundice, which is characterised by a yellowing of the skin and the whites of the eyes, should see 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 behind these patterns, including looking into potential variations between pancreatic tumours in men and women.

Dan Theodorescu, MD, PhD, director of Cedars-Sinai Cancer and the PHASE ONE Distinguished Chair, said, "This ongoing 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." This is a constant focus at Cedars-Sinai Cancer because it helps us serve a diverse population and inform public health policies that will help patients worldwide.