The news of Patrick Swayze passing away was hard to hear especially for those of us who grew up with Dirty Dancing & Ghost as our favorite romance films. Swayze was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer in March 2008. His battle with the rare cancer lasted about 18 months which is more than most patients.

Pancreatic cancer is the fourth leading cause of cancer deaths in men and women in the United States. Even though pancreatic cancer is a rare form of cancer, it is obviously deadly. Most often the cancer is detected in the late stage which contributes to a poor prognosis. Swayze's death has brought attention to the rare cancer. Most people are unaware of basic knowledge regarding this cancer like symptoms, risk factors and even possible treatments.

Symptoms

What makes pancreatic cancer so hard to find is that most times people who have the cancer do not show signs making it a silent killer. If a person does have one of the following symptoms, it is most often in the later stages of the disease. Some signs and symptoms include

• jaundice (yellowing of the eyes & skin)
• weight loss associated with depression
• loss of appetite
• diarrhea
• pain in the upper left abdomen area of the body

Risk Factors

Although the exact cause of pancreatic cancer is not well understood, there are several risk factors that contribute to the disease. Some risk factors include

• Family history of pancreatic cancer
• Smoking
• Older age
• Alcohol
• Black population have a higher risk than white population
• Obesity

Whether pancreatic cancer ran in Swayze's family is not known, however he was known to have been a long term smoker and drank alcohol which may have contributed to his disease.

Treatment

Treatment of pancreatic cancer depends how early the cancer is found. In early stages of the cancer most treatments include chemotherapy and radiation in order to stop the growth of the cancer. Swayze did received chemotherapy after his diagnosis of pancreatic cancer. Some patients undergo surgery in order to take out the cancer before it spreads to other parts of the body. Unfortunately even with treatments, most patients with the cancer end up losing the fight.

Knowing this aggressive cancer, more research is directed into vaccines that are meant to boost the immune system in recognizing pancreatic cancer cells. This could allow our bodies to fight off the tumor cells and prevent further growth of the cancer.

Although the death of Patrick Swayze is disheartening, it is hopeful that science will one day find a cure for such a destructive cancer and possibly save lives.