Doctor urges: Pay attention to different types of pancreatic cancer

PANCREATIC cancer expert Dr Anirban Maitra is urging healthcare professionals to classify what type of tumour a patient may have in the pancreas to ensure the best possible treatment is provided.

Maitra is a professor of pathology and translational molecular pathology, as well as the director of the Sheikh Ahmed Pancreatic Cancer Research Center at UT MD Anderson Cancer Center in the US.

He was speaking at the John E Sabga Foundation for Pancreatic Cancer's symposium on diabetes and pancreatic cancer at the Hyatt Regency, Port of Spain on Sunday morning.

Showing how different types of pancreatic cancers present themselves under a microscope, he paused briefly on the slide about adenocarcinoma. This type of pancreatic cancer forms in the lining of the pancreas' ducts.

Maitra said, "When somebody talks about pancreatic cancer or the media talks about pancreatic cancer, there's a very good chance this is what they're talking about."

He continued, "But this is not the only cancer in the pancreas. There's at least 20 different types..."

He said adenocarcinoma only accounts for 95 per cent of all pancreatic cancers.

He said neuroendocrine tumours are the second most common type, which begin as a growth of cells in the pancreas.

Maitra said late celebrities including former Apple CEO Steve Jobs and "Queen of Soul," US singer Aretha Franklin.

"There are several other rare sub-types (and) the most important things that patients need to know when they're diagnosed with a mass in the pancreas is what type it is.

"(Everything) will depend on the type – the treatment, the outcome, the genetics...Everything will differ, so it's very important to first classify..."

Despite pancreatic cancers spreading from the pancreas, he said they do not remain localised very often and spread "through a slew of avenues."

He said while the incidence rate for pancreatic cancer, specifically, may be low, the mortality rate is within the top five among all cancer types.

However, he added that many advancements have been made owing to medical research over the years.

On the topic of diabetes, Dr Narine Mack – an endocrinologist – reiterated what many healthcare professionals in TT have been saying – obesity is one of the main driving factors behind it.

He said diabetes remains a major public health issue worldwide, presenting 2021 data which showed a total of 6.7 million deaths owing to diabetes.

He added that the prevalence of cases in North America and the Caribbean is set to increase by 24 per cent by 2045.

He said worldwide, this was averaged to 46 per cent, over 100 per cent for Africa and 13 per cent for Europe.

"How we manage it and the complications and the risk factors from diabetes need to be highlighted because it's a problem that's going to persist despite all the various challenges we may face."

He said in 2020, over 39 million children under age five were obese, which is a startling statistic. He urged that attention be paid to children's weight as well.

Recalling having to walk to school, he said that is not as common lately as children now have direct transport to and from.

Health Minister Terrence Deyalsingh also attended the event.