EXPLAINER: What is pancreatic cancer, and can you prevent it?
After a two-year battle with pancreatic cancer, Judge Frank Caprio, a celebrity US judge well-known for his kindness, humor, and empathy, passed away on August 21, 2025.
On his hit TV show Caught in Providence, Caprio handed down judgements only after carefully considering the personal circumstances of each person who found themselves in his courtroom.
Two days before his passing, Caprio posted a reel asking for continued prayers because he had hit a setback and was back in the hospital.
According to the Philippine Association of HPB Surgeons, “pancreatic cancer is the ninth leading cause of cancer-related deaths in the Philippines,” as posted on their social media. (HPB—hepato-pancreato-biliary—surgery centers on treating diseases of the liver, pancreas, gall bladder, and bile ducts.)
On its website, Makati Medical Center calls pancreatic cancer “the silent killer.” Find out why that’s so, and what you can do to lower your cancer risk.
What is pancreatic cancer?
The pancreas is a glandular organ that looks like a six-inch flattened pear lying on its side. It is located in the abdomen, behind the stomach and in front of the spine. The organ’s main roles are to aid digestion and to regulate blood sugar levels.
If cells in the pancreas undergo changes in their DNA, instructing them to grow much more quickly than normal, pancreatic cancer begins. Since the cancer cells don’t have the instruction to die at a set time, like healthy cells do, they keep growing, eventually outnumbering the healthy cells.
In time, the cancer cells might form a tumor in the pancreas, eventually destroying healthy body tissue. If the cancer is still not caught at that point, the harmful cells might spread to other organs in the body.
The effect of pancreatic cancer, and any type of cancer, is life-changing, not just for the patient but for their entire family.
“The youngest patient I have personally treated [for pancreatic cancer] was in his late 30s, which is considered very young for pancreatic cancer,” said Dr. Joanne Marie B. Arcillas, a medical oncologist at Asian Hospital and Medical Center and Manila Doctors Hospital. “It profoundly affected his career, as he was no longer able to continue working due to frequent hospitalizations and physical weakness. His functional capacity declined to the point where he required assistance with many activities of daily living…He also experienced significant emotional distress and depression because of the uncertainty of his prognosis and the drastic changes to his lifestyle.”
Symptoms
While specific causes of pancreatic cancer have not yet been determined, Mayo Clinic says on its website that some factors do increase the risk of this type of cancer: “Smoking and having a family history of pancreatic cancer.”
In addition, other risk factors are older age, obesity, frequent alcohol intake, and type 2 diabetes.
Early-stage tumors for this type of cancer do not manifest in imaging tests. This is why many patients do not get diagnosed correctly until the cancer is in its advanced stages, cementing its reputation as the “silent killer.”
Nevertheless, some symptoms to look out for are:
- Unexplained loss of appetite and weakness
- Upper abdominal pain that radiates to the sides and back
- Jaundice (or the yellowing of the skin)
- Dark-colored urine
- Itching
- Nausea
Treatment
Experts say the only realistic cure for pancreatic cancer is surgery. However, this does not apply to all patients. Surgeons do not recommend it if the cancer has spread outside the pancreas.
Outside of surgery, medical oncologists may recommend chemotherapy and radiation treatment, depending on the condition of the patient. To complement these treatments, doctors may also recommend targeted therapy, where medication is used to eliminate certain proteins that control the growth of cancer cells.
Lifestyle changes
“While not all cases of pancreatic cancer are preventable, people can lower their risk by adopting healthy lifestyle habits,” said Arcilla.
Begin practicing the following today: avoid smoking, limit alcohol consumption, maintain a healthy weight, and exercise regularly. However, for people with a higher risk of pancreatic cancer, Arcilla suggests they take further, more specific preventative steps, such as undergoing regular medical checkups and managing chronic conditions like diabetes and pancreatitis.
“For high-risk individuals, such as those with genetic syndromes or multiple affected relatives, genetic counseling and screening may be appropriate,” she added.
It is not too late to adopt some healthier habits.
