Hey!
November is Pancreatic Cancer Awareness month! Because of that, I'm going to tell you guys a little about this serious disease.
What is it?
Pancreatic cancer is cancer of the pancreas, not too hard to figure out. But it can spread to your liver or any other surrounding organs.
Why should I care?
Most people who have it, only have a 2% survival rate, no bueno. Most only survive about 5 years of it, or 4% survival rate.
What are some symptoms?
•Pain in upper back
•Anorexia, or loss of appetite
•Cachexia(significant weight loss)
•Jaundice(yellowing of the skin/eyes)
•Pale colored stool
•Blood Clots
•Diabetes, or high blood sugar levels
•Clinical Depression
Some may not show up at all. In my grandfathers case, he only had jaundice, cachexia, and blood clots, he already had diabetes.
What are my chances of getting this?
•It CAN be genetic, 5%-10% of pancreatic cancer patients have had at least one other person in their family have it. Other than that, it varies.
What other ways could I get it?
•Age, chances increase over 60, more uncommon under 40.
•Smoking, a risk ratio of a smoker is 1.74, a non smokers risk ratio is 1.2, so not smoking can increase your chance of not getting it.
•Diets, high sugar foods can cause this also.
How can I prevent it?
•Maintain a healthy weight
•EAT YOUR VEGGIES! You should anyway. Eat fruits, vegetables, and all your whole grain foods
This will help prevent and/or reduce the risk of pancreatic cancer
What are the stages?
•Stage 0: not spreading, cannot be seen or detected
•Stage 1: spreading, limited to the pancreas.
•Stage 2: spreading outside pancreas to nearby lymph nodes
•Stage 3: spread more so. Tumor has gotten bigger and is now growing into nearby major blood vessels
•Stage 4: confirmed spread; has grown into nearby organs
If I get it, what's the treatment?
•Sugery, Whipple Procedure is most common for surgeries
•Radiation, step before chemotherapy, if the stage is 2 or 1
•Chemotherapy, very hard on some, helps you survive that one more day
How can I help those who have it?
•You can sign up for some local fundraising, such as doing a run/walk
•You can donate money to the American Cancer Society, Pancreatic Cancer Action Network and any other things you find.

My story
It was March 18, 2011 when we found out my grandpa had pancreatic cancer, he had blood clots, began to get yellow skin, and wouldn't eat. I didn't know what to think of this, I had that feeling like "oh, nothing going to happen to him, he's my Pop!" So I never really thought much about it. Then, June 18, 2011, he passed away. My brother and mom were there to see him, I was at home, keeping happy thoughts, not thinking he would ever leave us. Then my dad had came in and said "Pop just died.." That day was the worst day ever, as soon as he said it, I just wouldn't believe it, I couldn't hold it in, I dropped to the floor, feeling like I too had died. It's been almost two years since then, not a day goes by without me thinking about him. But now I know that he's not suffering anymore, and he's in a better place.


Please help find a cure, I don't want anyone else going through what my grandpa had to go through. "Know it. Fight it. End it."

Bibliography
Wikipedia-Pancreatic Cancer
WEBMD
Most came from my head and my experiences, others came from the links above.