What is Pancreatic Cancer?

Pancreatic cancer occurs when cancerous cells grow, divide, and spread in the tissues of the pancreas. The pancreas is located in the stomach, it is a 6-inch-long spongy, tube-shaped organ. The two major functions of the pancreas is:

produces digestive juices (enzymes) that help the intestines break down food.
produces hormones that helps regulate the usage of sugars and starches in the body.

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Symptoms of Pancreatic Cancer

Pancreatic cancer is usually described as a silent disease because in the initial stage, the disease may show no obvious symptoms. However as the cancer progresses, symptoms may include:

Pain in the upper abdomen that sometimes spreads to the back
Discoloured urine
Stomach ulcers
Blood clot in veins
Jaundice
Loss of appetite
Nausea
Weight loss
Weakness
Belly pain
Fatigue
Back pain
Causes of Pancreatic Cancer

Researchers are yet to establish the exact cause of pancreatic cancer, though some factors may be responsible including:

Smoking: Smokers are more vulnerable to developing the disease than non-smokers.
Age: Pancreatic cancer mostly affects those above 45 years.
Diabetes: Diabetes is connected to pancreatic cancer since it’s a risk factor, and it can also be a symptom of the disease.

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Other possible causes of pancreatic cancer include:

Family history of pancreatic cancer
Liver cirrhosis
Lack of exercise
High fat diet
Chronic pancreatitis
Diagnosing Pancreatic Cancer

The challenge of this disease is detecting it early. It is difficult for doctors to see or feel a tumor during a routine exam. So, imaging tests such as MRI, ultrasound, or CT scan are performed to help diagnosis.

Treatment of Pancreatic cancer
Surgery

Surgery can be performed to get rid of cancer that hasn’t spread past the pancreas. The tumor is removed leaving as much of the normal pancreas in one piece. Unfortunately, since pancreatic cancer if difficult to detect at its early stage for lack of symptoms, the cancerous cells usually have spread beyond the pancreas at the point of diagnosis. Though surgery can still be performed, even if the tumor is too large to remove. The surgery would involve procedures to help reduce some of the symptoms.

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Radiation Therapy

This treatment uses high-powered radiation to kill cancer cells. Radiation is usually performed five days a week for several weeks or months. This schedule helps to protect normal tissue by spreading out the total dose of radiation. Radiation is also being studied as a way to kill cancer cells that remain in the area after surgery. Radiation therapy can help relieve pain or digestive issues caused by large cancerous masses.

Chemotherapy

This therapy uses drugs to destroy cancer cells. A drug or a combination of drugs may be administered for this treatment which may be given orally or intravenously. Chemotherapy is best for cancer that has spread. Chemotherapy is also effective in destroying cancer cells that may remain after surgery.

Targeted Therapy

Targeted therapies are employed to attack exact parts of cancer cells. This method have fewer side effects than chemotherapy and are less harmful to normal cells. Targeted therapy is presently being employed for treating pancreatic cancer.

Immunotherapy

This biological therapy involves boosting a person’s immune system to fight disease. Immunotherapy for pancreatic cancer is being actively researched, along with the study into vaccines that support the immune system to attack cancer.

Palliative Therapy

Palliative therapy is used to manage pain regardless of the stage of the disease or the need for other treatments. Palliative care helps improve quality of life in the body, mind, and spirit. Palliative therapies are helpful when given with other cancer therapies.

Preventing Pancreatic Cancer


There’s no one certain action you can take to prevent pancreatic cancer. However, some controllable risk factors can be avoided.  They include:

Quit smoking.
Avoid diet high in fat.
Adopt a regular exercise routine, since exercise can help prevent diabetes and obesity.
Getting Support

Source: http://healthdiary365.com/pancreatic-cancer-symptoms-causes-and-treatment/