House adopts Matzie resolution to raise awareness about pancreatic cancer

Rep. Robert Matzie    November 14, 2024 | 9:38 AM

HARRISBURG, Nov. 14 – The Pennsylvania House this week adopted state Rep. Rob Matzie’s resolution to raise awareness about pancreatic cancer – a disease expected to kill more than 50,000 people in the United States this year.

Matzie, D-Beaver, said he introduced H.R. 514 – designating November 2024 as “Pancreatic Cancer Awareness Month” in Pennsylvania – to ensure continued awareness about a difficult-to-detect disease that is the nation’s third-leading cause of cancer death.

“I introduce this resolution every year because this issue has touched my family,” Matzie said. “My mother was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. Fortunately, she was one of the lucky ones – her disease was caught early, and she went on to live for eight years. Most who are diagnosed are not so lucky, as the disease spreads quickly with few symptoms in the early stages.

“It’s estimated that the United States will see more than 50,000 deaths from pancreatic cancer and more than 65,000 new cases diagnosed in 2024. Until advances in diagnostics and treatment bring those numbers down, we need to do everything we can to keep the focus on this insidious disease, its risk factors and the importance of early detection.”

Matzie said some of the symptoms of pancreatic cancer are jaundice, which may include dark urine and stool changes; back or abdominal pain; weight loss and poor appetite; nausea and vomiting; and pancreatitis and recent-onset diabetes. Risk factors include smoking, obesity, diabetes, chronic pancreatitis, age, race, family history and certain inherited genetic syndromes.