FARMINGTON — The Board of Selectmen agreed to observe World Pancreatic Cancer Day on Nov. 17 in Farmington.

Resident John Long sought the local designation after his friend was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer last year. His friend has since died after battling the disease for a year, he said.

An estimated 41,780 Americans will die of the disease this year, with about 230 of them from Maine, Long wrote in his request to the board.

“This year, pancreatic cancer surpassed breast cancer to become the third leading cause of cancer-related death in the United States, and it is projected to become the second leading cause by 2020,” Long said.

He said he wants to raise awareness and make progress in developing treatments and early-detection tools.

“In 2016, pancreatic cancer will afflict more than 53,070 Americans, 71 percent of whom will die within one year of their diagnosis, and 92 percent of whom will die within five years of diagnosis,” he said.

When symptoms of pancreatic cancer are present, it is generally in the later stages, causing the high percentage of deaths within the first year, according to the proclamation.