Why Is Pancreatic Cancer the Deadliest Cancer?

Located in the back of our abdomen, the pancreas is a long flattened organ and gland that is part of both our digestive and endocrine systems. The two main functions pancreas has are producing enzymes to help with digestion and sending the hormone insulin (among others) to control the blood glucose level in the body. Pancreatic cancer is a disease in which malignant cells form in the tissues of the pancreas. It is the most lethal of cancers, with a current overall five-year survival rate of approximately 7 percent. At the moment, it is the fourth most common cause of cancer deaths in the United States. And according to board-certified oncologist Dr. Brian Geister, pancreatic cancer will become the leading cause of cancer deaths in America by 2030. Why is it so deadly?