![Picture](/uploads/3/1/6/4/31646413/198058882.jpg?412)
The critical approach considers the political economy of health and shows the effect that culture and history has on healthcare. Anthropologists can use the critical approach to look at how social inequality and economic status can play a part in a society's healthcare system. The critical approach looks at factors other than biomedicine and can be used by anthropologists to see what external factors effect a person's health. Pancreatic cancer is one of the diseases that is not seen as affecting a certain socioeconomic status, race, or gender, but this is not the case. Pancreatic cancer is far more common in people who smoke (doubling your chances), and the risk of developing it increasing with age. Over 80% of pancreatic cases develop between the ages of 60 and 80 (http://pathology.jhu.edu). In addition to those factors, men are generally more susceptible to getting pancreatic cancer. So why do we look at this disease as one that is purely hereditary and only effects people based on genetic predisposition? It is our social understanding of cancer that makes us believe that there are no social factors that contribute to pancreatic cancer. Our most recent societal run-in with pancreatic cancer came when Steve Jobs was diagnosed with disease and passed away in 2011. Apple's former CEO battled cancer for almost a decade until he lost the battle in 2011. Much of America and the world was saddened by his death and watching his health deteriorate at every apple event showed the world how serious pancreatic cancer was. I am using the case of Steve Jobs, seen in the photo on the right, because it is one of the most notable cases of pancreatic cancers that the public can recognize and has given a face to pancreatic cancer (Steve Jobs' Pancreatic Cancer: A Timeline). In recent years, pancreatic cancer has been medicalized by trying to diagnose it early and prevent the onset of cancerous tumors in the pancreas. The most notable case of this is the innovation of early detection technology developed by a teenager after his close friend passed away from pancreatic cancer (Ted.com/talks). This incredible story (shown in the youtube video above) is not only an impressive feat, but shows that there is a great importance on early detection. Healthcare professionals and the general public, alike, are trying to prevent pancreatic cancer from ever arising and the medicalization of pancreatic cancer is showing from this progression in early detection techniques. In many ways the biomedicalization of pancreatic cancer is also being shown. Since biomedicalization concerns the use of increased technology to enhance bodies or behaviors, it is clear that prevention efforts are also being influenced by biomedicalization (Clarke, 2010). Beyond general prevention efforts, the actual treatment for pancreatic cancer can be viewed as being biomedicalized. "Regulators designated Aduro Biotech Inc.'s new combination of CRS-207 and GVAX Pancreas drugs a "breakthrough therapy," putting it on the fast track to U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval" (http://www.foxnews.com). These breakthroughs with the addition of 15 year old Jack Andraka's new way of detecting pancreatic cancer early, are proof that biomedicalization is becoming more important for the fight on pancreatic cancer.
American Perception of Pancreatic Cancer
Pancreatic cancer has a very unfavorable outcome most of the time. 85 percent of people diagnosed with pancreatic cancer are diagnosed late and only have a 5 percent survival rate after 5 years (http://seer.cancer.gov). In addition to these outcomes, the general public sees pancreatic as a disease that old people usually get. It is seen as a dismal outcome when someone receives the news of having pancreatic cancer, but it doesn't have any social implications when it comes to how a person is perceived by the public.
Bibliography:
- Clarke, Adele. Biomedicalization: technoscience, health, and illness in the U.S.. Durham, NC: Duke University Press, 2010.
- "What Causes Pancreatic Cancer." Johns Hopkins Medicine . http://pathology.jhu.edu/pc/BasicCauses.php?area=ba (accessed July 30, 2014).
- Childs, Dan, and Kevin Dolak. "Steve Jobs' Pancreatic Cancer: A Timeline." ABC News. http://abcnews.go.com/Health/CancerPreventionAndTreatment/steve-jobs-pancreatic-cancer-timeline/story?id=14681812 (accessed July 30, 2014).
- "Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results ProgramTurning Cancer Data Into Discovery." Cancer of the Pancreas. http://seer.cancer.gov/statfacts/html/pancreas.html (accessed July 30, 2014).
- "A promising test for pancreatic cancer ... from a teenager." Jack Andraka:. http://www.ted.com/talks/jack_andraka_a_promising_test_for_pancreatic_cancer_from_a_teenager#t-619862 (accessed July 30, 2014).
- Samadi, Dr.. "New pancreatic cancer therapy labeled 'breakthrough' by FDA." Fox News. http://www.foxnews.com/health/2014/07/29/new-pancreatic-cancer-therapy-labeled-breakthrough-by-fda/ (accessed July 30, 2014).
- YouTube. "Jack Andraka: A promising test for pancreatic cancer ... from a teenager." YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g-ycQufrgK4 (accessed July 30, 2014).
- "Steve Jobs Picture." Softpedia. http://news.softpedia.com/images/news2/Steve-Jobs-Pancreatic-Cancer-Returns-to-the-Spotlight-Following-Resignation-2.jpg (accessed July 30, 2014).