Information on Stage 2 Pancreatic Cancer

Pancreatic cancer refers to cancer that originates in the pancreas. It is a deadly form of cancer---only 5 percent of the estimated 42,470 people diagnosed with cancer in 2009 will live five years from diagnosis. The high mortality rate associated with pancreatic cancer is explained by the difficulty diagnosing and treating the cancer. Although there are treatment options for Stage II, they are only available to patients whose cancer has not spread beyond the pancreas.

Diagnosis

• Pancreatic cancer is asymptomatic, and when the symptoms do present, they resemble the symptoms of many common illnesses. Furthermore, the pancreas is somewhat hidden in the body (by the stomach, intestines, gallbladder, spleen, bile ducts and liver), so it is difficult to see abnormalities in routine exams. Tests for diagnosing pancreatic cancer include X-rays of the chest, a CT scan, an MRI, a PET scan, the use of endoscopic ultrasound waves in a procedure called EUS, or a laparoscopy, which inserts a thin tube through a hole in the stomach to look at the pancreas. Each of these tests are used to diagnose the initial cancer and to help a doctor determine what stage the cancer is in.

Staging

• Cancer is staged using a system called the AJCC system, because it was pioneered by the American Joint Committee on Cancer. There are three components to staging, which are called the TNM factors, so the test is occasionally also referred to as a TNM test. The three factors include the size of the tumor (T), the presence or absence of cancer cells in the lymph nodes (N), and the presence or absence of metastases (M). Stage II pancreatic cancer has two separate TNM numbers, one of which signifies Stage IIA and the other Stage IIB.

Stage IIA

• Stage IIA is characterized by a T number of 3, an N number of 0 and an M number of 0. This means that the cancer cells have extended beyond the pancreas. The cancer may be in organs or tissue close to the pancreas. However, the cancer is not in the lymph nodes, nor has it metastasized (spread) to other parts of the body.

Stage IIB

• Stage IIB is characterized by a T number between 1 and 3, an N number of 1, and an M number of 0. This means the size of the tumor is not important in diagnosing Stage IIB cancer. The key element that determines whether the cancer is Stage IIB is the presence of cancer cells in nearby lymph nodes. The cancer may or may not have grown outside of the pancreas, but because the M number is 0, it has not metastasized or spread to distinct parts of the body.

Prognosis

• Pancreatic cancer is the fourth-leading cause of cancer deaths in the United States. The survival rate for pancreatic cancer is relatively low. Survival rates are measured in terms of five-year survival rates, and according to the American Cancer society, only 12 percent of patients diagnosed with Stage IIA pancreatic cancer are alive five years after the diagnosis. This number drops to 6 percent for patients with Stage IIB pancreatic cancer.