Lethal pancreatic cancer claims another life, this time, one of Houston's history making judges - what to know
On Monday, February 11, 2019, the honorable Judge Cassandra Holleman was announced dead at the age of 57, nearly 1 week after being diagnosed with pancreatic cancer.
Judge Holleman first started feeling ill in December of 2018, but continued to work through it. She was a part of the 'Black Girl Magic' Texas campaign, which consisted of 19 African American women who made history as the largest number of African American women on the ballot in Harris County history, in Houston, Texas.
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What is Pancreatic Cancer?
The pancreas is the organ or structure in the body responsible for producing certain substances called enzymes and hormones (including insulin) that allow for the breakdown of materials consumed into nutrients and forms that the body can utilize. Cancer results when the cells of this organ multiply so rapidly that they crowd and disrupt the normal functioning cells. The progression of the disease can lead to the development of different signs and symptoms.
Signs and symptoms often appear too late
People with pancreatic cancer may describe nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, decreased appetite, stomach pain that travels to the back, decreased muscle strength, dark urine, jaundice (yellowing of the eyes and skin), or weight loss. Because signs and symptoms of pancreatic cancer do not usually show up until the cancer has gotten worse, by the time it's recognized it is often too late to be treated. This was the unfortunate case with Judge Holleman.
For those capable of undergoing treatment, which may include surgery, chemotherapy, and/or radiation, the 5-year relative survival rate is 9%, according to the American Cancer Society .
The number of pancreatic cancer diagnosis is increasing
According to the World Health Organization, cancer is the second leading cause of death globally, accounting for about 9.6 million deaths in 2018. The Center for Disease Control and Prevention reports that the rates of cancer being diagnosed and deaths due to cancer as a whole have been on the decline. However, the frequency of pancreatic cancer has been trending up as supported by the American Cancer Society which estimates that 56,770 new cases of pancreatic cancer will be diagnosed in the US in 2019 and that 45,750 deaths will occur.
What can I do to prevent it?
While there are risk factors for pancreatic cancer such as obesity and tobacco use (for example, smoking) that are modifiable there are other risk factors including age, gender, race, or genetics that cannot be changed.
The risk for developing pancreatic cancer increases with age and the risks have been documented to be higher in men when compared to women. People of the African American race are at increased risks of developing pancreatic cancer in comparison to Caucasians and while the exact reason remains unclear, part of it may be due to the increased rates of other pancreatic risk factors in the African American population including diabetes, obesity, and tobacco use. Other risk factors include stomach problems, chronic pancreatitis, cirrhosis, and diabetes. Although not all studies have classified heavy use of alcohol as a risk factor for developing pancreatic cancer, its heavy use can lead to some of the risk factors that are associated with developing pancreatic cancer - such has chronic pancreatitis and cirrhosis.
With pancreatic cancer being such a lethal malignancy with a late-diagnosis and no sure way of preventing it, the best thing people can do is reduce those risk factors that are modifiable. This means maintaining an appropriate body weight, avoiding tobacco use or exposure, and limiting alcohol use - but, also paying attention to changes the body makes and reporting them to their physician.