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for distant-stage pancreatic cancer — among the lowest of any solid tumor
combined across all stages at diagnosis
Americans expected to be diagnosed this year, per NCI
federal mandate acknowledging how far pancreatic cancer lagged other tumor types
Pancreatic cancer survival has risen from 2.5% to 12.8% over nearly five decades — a gain that would be substantial in isolation, but dwarfs compared to improvements in breast (74.8% → 91.7%), colorectal, and leukemia outcomes driven by targeted therapies and immunotherapy.
Stage at diagnosis determines outcomes dramatically. Only 10–15% of patients are found at the localized stage where surgery is possible. The majority are diagnosed with metastatic disease — where survival sits below 3%.