Location
Philadelphia, PA
Start Date
17-4-2026 1:30 PM
End Date
17-4-2026 2:30 PM
Description
Pancreatic cancer remains one of the most aggressive malignancies in the United States today. In 2025, it was estimated that 67,440 Americans would be diagnosed with pancreatic cancer in the U.S., and more than 51,980 would die from the disease. It is currently the third-leading cause of cancer-related death in the U.S., with an overall five-year survival rate of approximately 13%. Early detection of the disease proves to be difficult due to the fact that symptoms appear only after the disease has progressed. A case study was conducted with an 86 year-old female cadaver whose cause of death was pancreatic cancer with metastasis, where the pancreas and associated tumors were examined and the length and width were measured following anatomical dissection by the use of calipers and photographic documentation. The pancreases of three female cadavers of similar age and stature who died of non-cancerous causes were measured in the same manner to compare and establish a control reference. The three control specimens came from a 92 year-old female with hypertensive heart disease, a 104 year-old female with aortic stenosis, and a 98 year-old female with dementia. The length of the 3 control organs was 110.0 +/- 5.0mm and the width was 21.0 +/- 2.0 mm. The pancreas from the pancreatic cancer case had a length of 115mm and width of 32mm. The width of the pancreas in the patient was significantly larger than the controls. Examination revealed that the pancreas had grown to encompass a portion of the spleen and splenic artery. In addition, several other metastatic tumors were identified, including a pelvic tumor that embodied a space measuring 120mm long x 140mm width x 118mm height including pelvic organs, and a mesenteric tumor that measured 34mm x 95mm x 11mm. In comparison to control specimens, the metastatic tissue displayed firm, fibrotic texture and significant structural distortion. This study calls attention to the extensive anatomical differences that may present in pancreatic cancer cases in addition to the implications of these tumors on quality of life. The presence of large, fibrotic tumors suggests mechanisms by which patients may develop symptoms, including abdominal and back pain, weight loss, and gastrointestinal problems such as nausea and vomiting. Further anatomical and clinical investigations into tissue texture of tumors and the patterns of metastatic spread could aid in improvement of symptom development, support earlier detection, and improve quality of life.
Embargo Period
6-3-2026
Included in
Anatomical Basis of Symptom Presentation in Pancreatic Cancer: a Cadaver-based Study
Philadelphia, PA
Pancreatic cancer remains one of the most aggressive malignancies in the United States today. In 2025, it was estimated that 67,440 Americans would be diagnosed with pancreatic cancer in the U.S., and more than 51,980 would die from the disease. It is currently the third-leading cause of cancer-related death in the U.S., with an overall five-year survival rate of approximately 13%. Early detection of the disease proves to be difficult due to the fact that symptoms appear only after the disease has progressed. A case study was conducted with an 86 year-old female cadaver whose cause of death was pancreatic cancer with metastasis, where the pancreas and associated tumors were examined and the length and width were measured following anatomical dissection by the use of calipers and photographic documentation. The pancreases of three female cadavers of similar age and stature who died of non-cancerous causes were measured in the same manner to compare and establish a control reference. The three control specimens came from a 92 year-old female with hypertensive heart disease, a 104 year-old female with aortic stenosis, and a 98 year-old female with dementia. The length of the 3 control organs was 110.0 +/- 5.0mm and the width was 21.0 +/- 2.0 mm. The pancreas from the pancreatic cancer case had a length of 115mm and width of 32mm. The width of the pancreas in the patient was significantly larger than the controls. Examination revealed that the pancreas had grown to encompass a portion of the spleen and splenic artery. In addition, several other metastatic tumors were identified, including a pelvic tumor that embodied a space measuring 120mm long x 140mm width x 118mm height including pelvic organs, and a mesenteric tumor that measured 34mm x 95mm x 11mm. In comparison to control specimens, the metastatic tissue displayed firm, fibrotic texture and significant structural distortion. This study calls attention to the extensive anatomical differences that may present in pancreatic cancer cases in addition to the implications of these tumors on quality of life. The presence of large, fibrotic tumors suggests mechanisms by which patients may develop symptoms, including abdominal and back pain, weight loss, and gastrointestinal problems such as nausea and vomiting. Further anatomical and clinical investigations into tissue texture of tumors and the patterns of metastatic spread could aid in improvement of symptom development, support earlier detection, and improve quality of life.