Pancreatic cancer is projected to become the second leading cause of cancer-related death in the United States by 2020, health officials warn.

Despite advances in treating other forms of the disease, new data out Monday details an increase in pancreatic cancer, which is historically understudied and underfunded. Cancer of the pancreas doesn't receive as much as attention as "the big four" -- lung, breast, prostate, and colorectal -- according to Lynn Matrisian, study author from the Pancreatic Cancer Action Network.