Pancreatic Cancer – deCODEme Complete Scan
Pancreatic cancer has been added to the deCODEme Complete Scan. Pancreatic cancer is a particularly difficult form of cancer. It is virtually asymptomatic in its earliest stages. The cancer typically spreads rapidly and aggressively into surrounding tissue and organs, it is resistant to standard chemotherapy and has a strong tendency to recur. These characteristics make pancreatic cancer one of the most challenging cancers to treat unless caught early enough, and provide a grim prognosis for many diagnosed with the disease.
Currently there is no screening test available for this cancer, but genetic variants have been identified that are associated with increased risk of developing non-endocrine pancreatic cancer, the most common type of pancreatic cancer. The deCODEme Complete Scan recently added non-endocrine pancreatic cancer to its genetic risk assessment profile.
In states over 40,000 individuals are diagnosed with Pancreatic cancer and over 85% don’t make it. Risk factors for pancreatic cancer may include: cigarette smoking, diets high in red meat, diets low in vegetables and fruits, diets high in sugar-sweetened drinks, obesity and heavy drinkers.
10% of pancreatic cancer patients have a family history of pancreatic cancer.
John Barrett
25 Mar 10 at 2:28 pm