What is the survival rate for pancreatic cancer?
Cancer survival rates are usually discussed in terms of 5-year relative survival, which refers to the proportion of patients still alive five years after diagnosis. Keep in mind that statistics like these are based on large groups of people and cannot predict what might happen with an individual patient. The most current national data is from patients diagnosed in 2018-2022, which doesn’t reflect the impact of recent treatment advances.
Pancreatic cancer:Cecilia’s story
In the United States, national data shows that 13.3% of people diagnosed with pancreatic cancer are alive after five years. Pancreatic cancer survival remains poor due to a number of factors, some of which include the lack of a reliable screening test for the general population and a high number of people with late-stage disease at diagnosis.
Survival is dramatically different based on the stage of the disease as well. The National Cancer Institute records survival rates using these very broad categories:
- Localized. In patients with early-stage cancers, that are confined to the primary site, 5-year survival is 43.6%.
- Regional. For patients with disease that has spread to regional lymph nodes at the time of diagnosis, survival is 16.7%.
- Distant disease. Among patients with disease that has spread to distant body areas at the time of diagnosis, survival is 3.2%.
Learn more pancreatic cancer survival statistics from the National Cancer Institute.
In addition, survival differs dramatically depending on the type of pancreatic cancer. For example, survival for pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors is significantly better than pancreatic ductal adenosarcoma. Recent treatment advances have led to increased survival when all treatment options — including clinical trials — are properly considered.
What Roswell Park does to maximize your survival
- Robotic surgery for pancreas cancer. Roswell Park is one of few centers to have high volumes experience in performing complex pancreas operations with robotic tools. This approach allows patients to recover faster and begin additional cancer treatment sooner.
- Provide access to the latest treatment options in clinical trials. These studies offer a chance to benefit from the most promising cutting-edge options.
- Supportive and palliative care integrated into treatment from the start. This helps relieve symptoms, improve nutritional status, allowing treatment to continue most effectively.
Roswell Park is designated by the National Pancreas Foundation as an NPF Center.
This recognizes us as a premier facility for our multidisciplinary treatment of pancreas cancer that treats the whole person, focusing on the best possible outcomes and improving quality of life.