Despite being relatively rare, it's one of the deadliest forms of cancer — largely because it shows few symptoms early on, and by the time it's diagnosed, it's often already advanced or inoperable. Here are a few particularly striking facts:
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Silent progression: Pancreatic cancer often causes vague symptoms like back pain, fatigue, or indigestion — things people dismiss or attribute to other causes.
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Late detection = low survival: More than 80% of cases are diagnosed at Stage III or IV, when curative surgery isn't an option.
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Rapid decline: Once symptoms appear, progression can be extremely fast, leaving patients and families little time to react or prepare.
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It’s often missed in imaging: Even scans can struggle to detect small tumors in the pancreas early.
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Link to seemingly unrelated signs: Sometimes the first sign is new-onset diabetes or unexplained jaundice — but by then, it may be too late.