The pancreas, located deep inside the abdominal cavity, does not give up its secrets easily - even when it is cancerous. In the early stages of pancreatic cancer, there are few obvious signs of the disease ó the person might feel some abdominal pain or nausea. So, by the time doctors suspect cancer, it is often too late. The disease has already spread to other organs. To make matter worse, " it is a very aggressive, rapidly growing tumour,"
Malcolm Moore, an oncologist at Princess Margaret Hospital in Toronto. " It seems to be resistant to the traditional treatments such as radiation therapy and chemotherapy." Even the underlying cause of the disease is a mystery. This year, an estimated 1,800 Canadian women will be diagnosed with pancreatic cancer and 1,750 will die of the disease. The numbers for men are almost the same: 1,700 and 1,650.
Men killed daily by pancreatic cancer: 4.52
Women killed daily by pancreatic cancer: 4.79
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NONHODGKINS LYMPHOMA: MEN
Until the early 1990s, cases of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma - an umbrella term covering a large group of cancers of the immune system ó were on a slow, steady rise. Then they levelled off and now appear to be declining. Why the shifting trend? " That's the million-dollar question and one we would all like to know the answer to," says John Spinelli, a researcher at the B. C. Cancer Agency. Canadian scientists are particularly interested in solving the medical mystery because " Canada has among the highest rates in the world," he notes. " It is likely some environmental factor," he says. Many researchers think the cases are linked to herbicides, such as 2,4D, and other chemical compounds. In recent years, there has been an effort to curb the use of certain chemicals, " which might explain why rates have levelled off," Dr. Spinelli speculates.
Men killed daily by non-Hodgkin's lymphoma: 4.52
OVARIAN CANCER
This year, an estimated 2,300 Canadians will be diagnosed with ovarian cancer and 1,600 will die of the disease. It is so lethal mainly because most women aren't diagnosed until it is well advanced. Initially, there are few symptoms, says Micheline Piquette Miller, an associate professor at the University of Toronto. And those symptoms, such as fatigue and abdominal discomfort, are vague and can be easily confused with those of many other conditions. Furthermore, there is not a reliable screening test. The CA125 blood test is wrong half the time in detecting early-stage ovarian cancer. Left unchecked, the cancer can easily spread to nearby organs, which are tightly packed together in the peritoneal cavity. When the cancer is finally diagnosed, the treatments are of limited value. " While women are initially responsive to the chemo therapeutic drugs, they rapidly develop a resistance to them," Dr. Piquette Miller says. If the cancer spreads to other organs, the five-year survival rate is about 29 per cent.
Women killed daily by ovarian cancer: 4.38
