The county governing board met last week with Michael Weinstein, New Jersey Advocacy Chairman for the Pancreatic Cancer Awareness Network, who detailed the growing rate of this hard-to-diagnose killer that is expected to take more lives in our state and nation in the coming years.
“Pancreatic cancer is the fourth leading cause of cancer deaths in the United States and it is the only cancer with a five-year survival rate in the single digits, at just 7 percent,’’ Weinstein told the freeholders at their Oct. 28 meeting.
“We need to call attention to this disease and finally make progress in developing treatments and early prevention tools,’’ added Weinstein, who is a 10-year survivor of pancreatic cancer,’’ her added.
“Unfortunately, incidences of pancreatic cancer are increasing across our nation and right here in our own county,’’ said Morris County Freeholder Director Kathy DeFillippo. “So, the freeholders would like to help shine the spotlight on this dreaded disease and to help galvanize public support for more research and a cure.’’
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| Freeholders issue proclamation to Michael Weinstein for Pancreatic Cancer Awareness Day |
Here are some sobering facts about pancreatic cancer:
- It is the 4th leading cause of cancer deaths in our nation;
- Pancreatic cancer is projected to become the second leading cause of cancer deaths by 2020;
- The five-year survival rate—once a person is diagnosed – is just 7 percent;
- It will afflict more than 40,000 Americans in 2015 and 73 percent of them will die within one year;
- In 2015, an estimated 48,960 people will be diagnosed with pancreatic cancer in the United States and 40,560 will die from the disease;
- 1,560 deaths due to pancreatic cancer will occur in New Jersey in 2015;
- Pancreatic cancer is the 7th most common cause of cancer-related death across the world;
- An estimated 367,000 new pancreatic cancer cases will be diagnosed globally in 2015;
The freeholder board issued a proclamation for Pancreatic Cancer Awareness Day to Michael Weinstein
When symptoms of pancreatic cancer present themselves, it is generally late stage, and 73 percent of pancreatic cancer patients die within the first year of their diagnosis, while 93 percent of pancreatic cancer patients die within the first five years.
Weinstein said there are few symptoms. Many times pancreatic cancer is disguised as a common back or stomach ache.
For more information on pancreatic cancer, visit: http://www.cancer.org/cancer/pancreaticcancer/