Pancreatic Cancer Risks

People who are at risk should get tested earlier. Diagnosis rates for pancreatic cancer are not very high. Most people at risk do not get tested because they think they do not need to. Since the risk of getting pancreatic cancer is relatively small, people do not get tested because they think that they will not get it. For example, people who have close relatives who have had pancreatic cancer are at higher risk. “If you have two or more first-degree relatives who have had pancreatic cancer, a first-degree relative who developed pancreatic cancer before the age of 50, or an inherited genetic syndrome associated with pancreatic cancer, you may have an increased risk of developing pancreatic cancer” (“Early Detection”). Since having close relatives with the disease puts people at a higher risk, they should get tested earlier …show more content…
“Unfortunately, these tests have not proven to be 100% effective at detecting small lesions, pre-cancers or early stage cancers, which may be more possible to effectively treat” (“Early Detection”). When diagnosed early they have a better plan of treatment with better options to choose from. Another reason for people at risk to get tested is if there is a better test for detection, it would help catch it earlier on. “Therefore, tests sensitive enough to detect pancreatic cancer in the earliest stages are urgently needed” (“Early Detection”). Right now it can be difficult to diagnose cancer perfectly. With a better test they can accurately diagnose it, which then in turn leads to more treatment options available. “There is currently no standard diagnostic tool or established early detection method for pancreatic cancer” (“Early Detection”). If cancer can be caught early, or even before its fully developed, it could tremendously change diagnosis rates and survival rates. Finally, genetic tests in the future will be able to diagnose almost