Pancreatic Cancer Life Expectancy: Prognosis by Stage and Factors

Untreated pancreatic cancer median survival: 3–6 months. However, prognosis varies widely:

• Localized (resectable): 5-year survival ~30–40% with surgery + adjuvant therapy.
• Locally advanced: Median 10–16 months with chemoradiation.
• Metastatic: Median 6–11 months with combination chemotherapy (FOLFIRINOX or gemcitabine/nab-paclitaxel).

Favorable Factors

• Younger age
• Good performance status
• Resectable disease
• CA 19-9 normalization with treatment
• Access to clinical trials

Individualized discussion with oncology team is essential for realistic expectations and treatment planning.