How long does it take to develop pancreatic cancer?

Answer 1

My wife of 40 years died very, very suddenly from pancreatic cancer in Feb 2012. She was a very fit and active woman (she sailed the Atlantic four times. There were absolutely no 'obvious' symptom's, and no pain prior to her being admitted to hospital for standard checks. They found a shadow on her liver, and went looking for the primary which turned out to be a considerable tumour in her pancreas. From diagnosis to death was only six days. After being informed of this pancreatic cancer she was told she likely had 6 to 12 months left...... Unfortunately the very next day it spread to her brain, leaving her in a 'coma' effectively brain dead.....until she stopped breathing about 4 days later. It was all so incredibly fast. The tumour was over 4cm long and had spread to other parts. Likely been developing for many, many years.............Hindsight is wonderful. Looking back over the past three to four years (perhaps longer) she was on occasion doing some slightly 'strange' things. Dutch by birth she sometimes reverted to speaking Dutch for no reason at all, and seemed at times to have a 'split' personality (sending odd cards, and becoming obsessed by fictitious / fabricated incidents). I feel the pancreatic cancer was affecting her brain gradually over years........... eventually it killed her very quickly shutting down the brain completely. So sad. Miss her so much.

Answer 2

If diagnosed early enough the cancerous tumor can be surgically removed potentially curing the patient. Pancreatic cancer is very hard to detect, and is usually found in the late stages. 94% percent of people diagnosed with pancreatic cancer die within 5 years, while 75% of people with pancreatic cancer die withing ONE year. If the disease spreads the patient will usually die with 3-6 months.

Answer 3

Any age, cancer is a found in your genes which are given to you when you're born and can be altered at any time via radiation.