Almost 80 percent of pancreatic cancer patients in Texas are not getting the level of standard-of-care surgery that could prolong survival, according to a study published May 23 in the Journal of Surgical Oncology.
The researchers at Dallas-based UT Southwestern Medical Center who conducted the study called the results "a call to action to improve treatment" for pancreatic cancer in Texas, in a July 25 news release. Only 11 percent of patients diagnosed with the disease survive at least five years; more than 466,000 people die of pancreatic cancer annually worldwide.
Patricio Polanco, MD, associate professor of surgery in UT Southwestern Medical Center's division of surgical oncology, said 80 percent of pancreatic cancer patients might be eligible for surgical resection, which might even be "curative in combination with chemotherapy."
"Many patients think that this is always an incurable disease and don't pursue aggressive treatment," Dr. Polanco said.
The study analyzed data from the Texas Cancer Registry, which showed "39,157 patients diagnosed with pancreatic cancer between 2004 and 2018, including 4,274 with early-stage disease who were eligible for surgery." During this period, only 22 percent of patients had surgery to remove their tumors.