Pancreatic Cancer Awareness Month: Remembering a Friend, Recognizing the Warning Signs, and Finding Hope
By Laura Reynolds
Nearly 20 years after losing a friend to pancreatic cancer, advances in treatment offer new hope—but recognizing the symptoms and seeking prompt medical evaluation remain critically important.
About 20 years ago, a friend came to Lincoln County for what should have been an enjoyable camping vacation on his 20-acre spread near Nogal. Instead, the trip marked the beginning of an illness that would claim his life just three months later.
Under 50 and physically fit, while camping, he developed abdominal cramping and diarrhea—symptoms easily mistaken for food poisoning, a stomach virus, or another digestive problem. When his discomfort became serious enough to cut the vacation short, none of us understood that these might be early signs of a much more serious illness.
During what would be our last visit, we noticed that his skin had turned distinctly yellow. We mentioned it, and he acknowledged that he had noticed the change too.
None of us knew that yellowing skin could signal pancreatic cancer. He had no idea he was suffering from the disease.
That yellowing, known as jaundice, can occur when a pancreatic tumor blocks the bile duct, causing bilirubin to build up in the bloodstream. Jaundice has many possible causes, but unexplained yellowing of the skin or eyes should never be ignored.
His health deteriorated rapidly. He spent weeks in the hospital and died just three months after that camping trip.
I still remember that final visit and wonder whether understanding the significance of his yellowing skin might have changed anything. We cannot know. But his experience taught me a lesson that remains important today: when symptoms are unusual, persistent, or worsening, prompt medical evaluation matters.
November’s Pancreatic Cancer Awareness Month and this story should give a reason for hope. Treatment options and survival prospects have improved since he became ill, but those advances are most useful when concerning symptoms are recognized and evaluated without delay.
Recognizing the Warning Signs
Pancreatic cancer is difficult to detect because its early symptoms may be vague or resemble common illnesses. The pancreas lies deep in the abdomen and produces digestive enzymes and hormones that regulate blood sugar. Because of its location, a tumor may grow for some time before causing obvious problems.
Warning signs may include:
Yellowing of the skin or eyes (jaundice): Sometimes accompanied by dark urine, pale stools, or persistent itching.
Abdominal pain or cramping: Particularly in the upper abdomen or extending into the back.
Diarrhea and digestive changes: Including greasy, pale or floating stools.
Unexplained weight loss: Especially with reduced appetite.
Nausea, bloating, or loss of appetite: Symptoms that may resemble ordinary gastrointestinal problems.
Newly diagnosed diabetes: Particularly in older adults without typical risk factors.
Persistent fatigue: Unusual weakness or exhaustion without an obvious cause.
Most digestive complaints are not caused by cancer. However, symptoms that persist, worsen, or occur in combination deserve attention. Unexplained jaundice requires prompt medical evaluation, even when a person assumes it is related to a minor digestive problem or feels otherwise well.
Recognizing these symptoms does not mean assuming the worst. It means allowing a health professional to determine the cause and begin appropriate care as soon as possible.
From Warning Signs to Better Options
The urgency of recognizing symptoms becomes clearer when we consider how much the outlook for pancreatic cancer depends on the stage at diagnosis.
When our friend became ill, the outlook was especially grim. Around the turn of the century, only about 4% to 5% of patients survived at least five years after diagnosis. Today, the overall five-year relative survival rate is approximately 13%.
The stage at diagnosis remains critical. When cancer is found before it spreads beyond the pancreas, about 44% of patients survive at least five years. Survival is much lower after the disease spreads to distant organs.
These figures are population averages, not predictions for individuals, and they reflect patients treated in previous years. Newer therapies may not yet be fully represented.
The statistics also reinforce an important point: earlier evaluation can create more opportunities to identify the disease before it becomes more difficult to treat.
Once Unavailable Treatment Options
Medical progress has expanded the options available to many patients.
Modern chemotherapy combinations can extend life for some patients, while advances in imaging and surgery have improved treatment for selected tumors.
Genetic testing and molecular analysis may identify cancers that respond to targeted medications. Immunotherapy benefits a smaller group whose tumors have specific characteristics. Researchers are also studying cancer vaccines, new targeted drugs and combination therapies.
For patients diagnosed early enough, surgery followed by chemotherapy may offer long-term survival. For those with advanced disease, treatment can sometimes control the cancer, relieve symptoms, and extend life.
Clinical trials provide additional opportunities to explore promising therapies and may give eligible patients access to treatments that are not yet widely available.
These advances offer genuine hope, but they do not replace the need to act when symptoms appear. The first step is often the simplest: tell a health care professional what has changed and how long it has been happening.
Current Clinical Trials and How to Search
Clinical trials for pancreatic cancer change frequently as studies open, close, reach enrollment limits, or expand to new locations. Eligibility often depends on the cancer’s stage, whether it can be surgically removed, previous treatments, overall health, genetic or molecular findings, and the location of the study.
Because trial availability is time-sensitive, patients and families should search current listings rather than rely on a static list in an article.
The most comprehensive public source is ClinicalTrials.gov. A search for “pancreatic cancer” can be narrowed by:
Recruitment status: Recruiting, not yet recruiting, or enrolling by invitation.
Location: State, city, or country.
Disease status: Newly diagnosed, resectable, locally advanced, or metastatic disease.
Treatment history: Previously untreated, previously treated, or treatment-resistant cancer.
Study type: Drug studies, surgery, radiation, immunotherapy, targeted therapy, supportive care, or diagnostic research.
The National Cancer Institute also maintains a pancreatic cancer clinical-trial search tool and information specialists who can help patients identify studies. The Pancreatic Cancer Action Network offers clinical-trial education and patient support, including help understanding eligibility questions.
Patients should discuss any trial with their oncologist before contacting a study team. The study coordinator can explain the treatment, required tests, possible risks, travel expectations, costs, and whether standard treatment or another trial may be more appropriate. Participation is voluntary, and joining a trial does not guarantee benefit.
A useful search should include the exact diagnosis and treatment history. For example, a person with newly diagnosed, surgically removable pancreatic adenocarcinoma may qualify for different studies than someone with metastatic disease that has progressed after chemotherapy. Molecular testing may also identify trials for tumors with specific alterations, such as changes involving BRCA1, BRCA2, PALB2, KRAS, or other genes.
Not every alteration has an available treatment trial, and test results should be interpreted by a qualified medical team.
Why Prompt Evaluation Matters
Unlike breast or colorectal cancer, pancreatic cancer has no routine screening test for people at average risk. Those with certain inherited mutations or a strong family history may qualify for specialized surveillance.
For everyone else, recognizing persistent symptoms and seeking timely care are essential. Jaundice can result from gallstones, liver disease, and other conditions, but unexplained yellowing of the skin or eyes requires prompt investigation.
Early evaluation does not guarantee an early diagnosis, but it can identify serious conditions and prevent unnecessary delays. A medical evaluation may reveal a problem that is treatable, or it may provide reassurance when cancer is not the cause.
The important decision is not to diagnose yourself. It is to avoid dismissing a significant change in your health.
Supporting Patients and Families
Pancreatic cancer affects entire families. Treatment may involve frequent appointments, hospital stays, nutritional challenges, emotional stress, and difficult decisions.
Organizations such as the Pancreatic Cancer Action Network offer education, treatment information, clinical trial resources, and caregiver support.
In Lincoln County, practical help can also make a difference. A ride to an appointment, a meal, assistance with errands, or simply time spent with someone facing serious illness can provide meaningful comfort. Look to our community resource directory for direction.
Support also means encouraging loved ones to seek care when symptoms persist. A concerned conversation may help someone move past uncertainty or reluctance and contact a medical professional.
Remembering a Friend and Acting on What We Know
Nearly 20 years have passed since our friend’s camping trip to Lincoln County. What should have been a pleasant getaway became the beginning of his final three months of life. I often think about that last visit, when we noticed his yellowing skin, and he quietly acknowledged it. None of us understood what it meant or how little time remained. Shortly after the trip, he went to the doctor. Then he shared his diagnosis with us on his last call, along with the reality of his illness: he had only about three months to live from pancreatic cancer.
Today, patients have more treatment options and better prospects than they did then, although much work remains. Clinical trials are an important part of that progress, but the right study depends on each patient’s diagnosis, treatment history, and personal circumstances.
The most immediate opportunity for progress, however, may begin before treatment—with recognizing a warning sign and seeking care promptly.
This November, let us honor those we have lost, support people living with pancreatic cancer, and learn its warning signs. If you or someone you know develops unexplained jaundice, persistent abdominal pain, digestive changes, unexplained weight loss, or another concerning symptom, do not simply wait for it to pass. Contact a health care professional and explain what has changed.
Sometimes the first warning is a change we might otherwise dismiss. Recognizing it and seeking medical attention promptly may make an important difference.
Resources for Patients and Families
Pancreatic Cancer Action Network — www.pancan.org
American Cancer Society — www.cancer.org
National Cancer Institute: Pancreatic Cancer — www.cancer.gov/types/pancreatic
National Cancer Institute Clinical Trials Search — www.cancer.gov/about-cancer/treatment/clinical-trials/search
Clinical-trial availability and eligibility change frequently. Patients should confirm current recruitment status and discuss potential studies with their oncology team. Survival statistics represent U.S. population averages and vary according to stage, tumor characteristics, overall health, and treatment. This article is for educational purposes and does not replace medical advice.
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