Pancreatic Cancer
Pancreatic cancer is the twelfth most common cancer that affects people worldwide, along with kidney cancer. Although it is not as common as some other cancers, it has a higher mortality rate due to difficulty in early detection and treatment. It is a very aggressive type of cancer with almost no outward signs in the early treatable stages. Here, we take a look at what this cancer is all about, symptoms, diagnosis, risk factors and possible treatment options.
What is pancreatic cancer?
Pancreas is an organ located in the abdominal cavity, just behind the stomach. It produces digestive juices that aid digestion and hormones that help maintain blood sugar levels. Pancreatic cancer is a cancer of this organ and is usually an adenocarcinoma, that is, affecting glands in the epithelial tissue.
Pancreatic cancer metastasizes very quickly and spreads very rapidly through the body, making it difficult to treat and root out completely in most cases. This makes it an extremely lethal form of cancer.
Symptoms and diagnosis of pancreatic cancer
There are no symptoms at all in most pancreatic cancer patients in the early stages before the tumor metastasizes, mainly due to the organ being located very deep inside the abdominal cavity. Some symptoms that are seen in patients at later stages of this cancer when it affects other nearby organs and parts:
These symptoms usually occur when the cancer spreads and affects intestines, bile duct, liver, immune system or nervous system, causing the symptoms. Diagnostics include:
Diagnosis is only done if patient approaches doctors with any of the above symptoms.
Causes of pancreatic cancer
There are no known causes of this type of cancer, but risk increases due to the following factors:
African Americans seem to be more prone to developing this type of cancer. Men and women are equally susceptible to pancreatic cancer.
Treatment of pancreatic cancer
There are clinical trials being carried out for newer forms of treatment like gene therapy for this aggressive form of cancer. Meditation, music therapy, exercise and such other forms of alternate therapies can help alleviate symptoms and side effects of treatment procedures.
Pancreatic cancer is the twelfth most common cancer that affects people worldwide, along with kidney cancer. Although it is not as common as some other cancers, it has a higher mortality rate due to difficulty in early detection and treatment. It is a very aggressive type of cancer with almost no outward signs in the early treatable stages. Here, we take a look at what this cancer is all about, symptoms, diagnosis, risk factors and possible treatment options.
What is pancreatic cancer?
Pancreas is an organ located in the abdominal cavity, just behind the stomach. It produces digestive juices that aid digestion and hormones that help maintain blood sugar levels. Pancreatic cancer is a cancer of this organ and is usually an adenocarcinoma, that is, affecting glands in the epithelial tissue.
Pancreatic cancer metastasizes very quickly and spreads very rapidly through the body, making it difficult to treat and root out completely in most cases. This makes it an extremely lethal form of cancer.
Symptoms and diagnosis of pancreatic cancer
There are no symptoms at all in most pancreatic cancer patients in the early stages before the tumor metastasizes, mainly due to the organ being located very deep inside the abdominal cavity. Some symptoms that are seen in patients at later stages of this cancer when it affects other nearby organs and parts:
- Pain in the upper abdomen
- Depression
- Sudden weight loss accompanied with loss of appetite
- Multiple blood clots
- Jaundice
- Swelling of the liver or lymph nodes
These symptoms usually occur when the cancer spreads and affects intestines, bile duct, liver, immune system or nervous system, causing the symptoms. Diagnostics include:
- Physical examination
- Blood tests
- X-rays
- Ultrasound
- Biopsy
Diagnosis is only done if patient approaches doctors with any of the above symptoms.
Causes of pancreatic cancer
There are no known causes of this type of cancer, but risk increases due to the following factors:
- Chronic pancreatitis
- Obesity
- Smoking cigarettes
- Family history of pancreatic cancer
- Diabetes
African Americans seem to be more prone to developing this type of cancer. Men and women are equally susceptible to pancreatic cancer.
Treatment of pancreatic cancer
- Surgery
- Chemotherapy
- Radiation therapy
- Targeted therapy
There are clinical trials being carried out for newer forms of treatment like gene therapy for this aggressive form of cancer. Meditation, music therapy, exercise and such other forms of alternate therapies can help alleviate symptoms and side effects of treatment procedures.
