GI Adjacent Disorders

Five-year survival rates of pancreatic cancer decreases significantly as the disease becomes more widespread.([FOOTNOTE=SEER Cancer Statistics Factsheets: Pancreas Cancer. National Cancer Institute. Bethesda, MD, http://seer.cancer.gov/statfacts/html/pancreas.html.],[ANCHOR=],[LINK=]) Because of this, early diagnosis is crucial, but it is difficult because early stages of pancreatic cancer are often asymptomatic.([FOOTNOTE=American Cancer Society. Cancer Facts & Figures 2013. Atlanta: American Cancer Society;2013:25-35.],[ANCHOR=],[LINK=]) In 53% of cases, the cancer has metastasized by the time of diagnosis.²