The pancreatic cancer survival rate is one of the lowest of common cancers.

As a result, pancreatic cancer is one of the most feared diagnoses.

Most people diagnosed with pancreatic cancer are no longer alive five years after diagnosis.

Pancreatic cancer purple ribbons

ThitareeSarmkasat / iStock / Getty Images

Pancreatic cancer is so deadly because its difficult to screen thepancreasfor cancers.

Symptoms of pancreatic cancer are also mild, so tumors there often get diagnosed late.

Lets walk through the survival rates for pancreatic cancer and get a better idea of what influences them.

The system has three components.

While some doctors use the TNM staging system, others prefer to categorize pancreatic cancer into four buckets.

Another term that factors into cancers diagnosis, treatment, and staging is the tumors grade.

The cancer-specific survival rate is the percentage of people with a particular diagnosis who survived until a specific time.

Some people live much longer than the survival statistics would suggest.

Survival rates can only tell you how other patients fared, not howyouwill fare.

They also may not reflect thelatest treatments.

Some of those factors can be changed, while others cant.

However, eat a healthy diet and keep active if you might.

But if youre already diagnosed, its not wise to embark on a weight-loss program while undergoing chemotherapy.

Pancreatic cancer patients often need to be prescribeddigestive enzymesto help with digestion.

Before embarking on any lifestyle intervention, speak with your oncologist.

A Word From Verywell

Pancreatic cancer is one of the toughest diagnoses someone can receive.

Focus on education and being an advocate for your own care.

Enlist family and friends to help you move forward.

Now is the time to lean on your support web link.

2015;7(4):198-205. doi:10.1177/1758834015579313

American Cancer Society.Key statistics for pancreatic cancer.

2019;10(1):10-27. doi:10.14740/wjon1166

American Joint Committee on Cancer.Cancer staging systems.

American Cancer Society.Pancreatic Cancer Stages.

National Cancer Institute.Tumor grade.

2018;7(11):5775-5788. doi:10.1002/cam4.1795

Yuan C, Morales-Oyarvide V, Babic A, et.