12 weeks. That’s all it took for pancreatic cancer—one of the deadliest cancers worldwide—to take my father’s life. It is often called a silent killer for good reason: the disease advances quietly, with few early symptoms, until treatment options are limited.

A Silent and Aggressive Can:cer

Pancreatic cancer receives little media attention compared to lung, breast, or colon cancer. Yet it remains one of the most serious, ranking 4th in cancer-related deaths.

• In France alone, nearly 16,000 new cases are diagnosed each year (Santé Publique France, 2023).
• Worldwide, incidence is rising by 2–3% annually.
• The five-year survival rate is still below 10%.

Diagnosis typically comes late: the average age at detection is 71 for men and 74 for women. By then, more than three-quarters of tumors are already inoperable. Only complete surgical removal offers a chance at long-term survival—making early recognition critical.

The Two Symptoms We Missed

Looking back, there were two clear warning signs we should have taken more seriously.

1. Persistent Abdominal or Back Pain

My father first complained of back discomfort, which he blamed on posture and age. But the pain persisted, spread to his upper abdomen, and became worse at night or after meals.

This type of dull, radiating pain—especially when it lingers or intensifies—is a common early sign of pancreatic cancer. Unfortunately, it is often mistaken for minor digestive or muscular issues.