Quality of life in patients with pancreatic cancer

QOL is highly affected in individuals suffering from pancreatic cancer. One parameter that influences negatively QOL in these patients is cancer -cachexia syndrome. During the ASCO Annual Meeting 2014, one abstract focusing on cancer-cachexia syndrome (Abstract #15208) emphasized the fact that cachexia is under diagnosed even in patients with pancreatic cancer who constitute a high-risk group for presenting this syndrome. In addition the abstract raises concerns about the benefit of the use of dronabinol and megestrol acetate in treating the cachexia syndrome in this group of patients. Another important factor that determines QOL in pancreatic cancer patients is surgical procedures-pancreatectomies that these patients may undergo. A very interesting abstract presented also at the ASCO Annual Meeting 2014 (Abstract #15234) explores the benefit of using pasireotide perioperative in ameliorating QOL of patients who had surgical intervention.