There are several causes of common cancer deaths in this world. Pancreatic cancer is one of them and is regarded as the fourth common cause of cancer deaths across the globe. When this type of cancer occurs, the disease attacks the exocrine components of the pancreas within a human body, developing tumors inside. In medical terms, this type of disease is called as malignant neoplasm cancer of the pancreas. In pancreatic cancer, patients frequently suffer from severe jaundice, weight loss and abdominal pain. The symptoms, diagnosis and treatment can be determined according to the size, location and tissue types of the cancer tumor in the pancreas. In a fatal pancreatic cancer, the survival rates of a patient is only 6 to 10 months. In other severe cases, patients live from 1 to 5 years only. The poor prognosis of this type of cancer leads 90% people die without knowing their early stage. Instant diagnosed cancer treatment at early stage for this type of cancer might help to find out some effective solutions.
Location of pancreatic cancer
The exact location of pancreatic cancer is within pancreas, relatively a large organ, located below stomach. Pancreas releases enzymes which help a human body top absorb food (especially fats). The large parts of pancreas are covered by common bile duct of stomach, gallbladder, pancreatic duct and duodenum. To control the blood sugar levels of a human body, hormones like insulin and glucagons play active roles. These hormones are made by some special cells, called islet cells, located within pancreas. During pancreatic cancer, islet cells are affected and patients develop islet cell tumors. Most dangerously, these islet cancer tumor cells travel through blood or lymph systems to other parts of a human body. This makes things worse and the patient lives hardly 6 months after infections from the disease. A migrated cancer tumor that travels to other location of a human body grows, invades and destroys healthy tissues. This process is called ‘metastasis’ in medical terms, which is very difficult stage to provide treatment.
Causes of pancreatic cancer
Pancreatic cancer is often called as a “silent killer”. The exact causes of this type of cancer disease are not known. Pancreatic cancer commonly attacks woman rather than man in many cases. People with diabetics, smokers and people with chronic pancreatitis (suffering from long-term pancreas inflammation) are common victims of this deadly cancer disease. Advance medical research and development on pancreatic cancer have shown that the disease also develops genetically from families to families and risk increases with age. Most of the cases occur after the age of 60, while before age 40 it is uncommon. Apart from other causes, the risk factor also increases due to low diet with vegetables and fruits and high diet with red meat, high diet in sweet soft drinks, obesity, periodontal disease and Helicobacter pylori infection. Interestingly, it is controversial whether alcohol consumption can be a cause for pancreatic cancer or not. But, advanced medical research has shown that the risk is very much with heavy drinkers, drinking four or five times a day.
Symptoms of pancreatic cancer
Talking about symptoms, pancreatic cancer cases are often found in advanced forms. This means the early symptoms of such kind of cancer can be hardly detected and a cancer tumor in pancreas can grow without any symptom. Yet, the early symptoms of pancreatic cancer are as follows:
-
Jaundice (yellow-colored eyes, skin and mucus membranes)
-
Weight loss and loss of appetite
-
Pain in abdomen or upper part of belly
-
Weakness and fatigue
-
Vomiting and nausea
-
Clay-colored stools and dark urine
-
Indigestion
-
Diarrhea
-
Blood clots
-
Back pain
To determine the stages of pancreatic cancer is even difficult for an expert and experienced doctor. This is because the early stage is often undetectable. Already it is mentioned that such kind of cancer is found in advanced form. The diabetes patients must be cautious with this type of cancer as it attacks them commonly. Insulin circulation and production is hampered severely. Providing no symptoms early on, a positive result might be found after proper diagnosis. If found positive, then the kinds of symptoms and signs can be seen are discussed already above. At early stage, the survival rate for this deadly cancer disease is given as 1 to 5 years only. Survival rate is 20% for 1 year and 5 or 6% for 5 years. But, at last stage of pancreatic cancer leaves, only 6 to 10 months of lifespan in a human body. Each stage can be determined through some advanced diagnosis and medical tests.
Diagnosis of pancreatic cancer
In case of pancreatic cancer, advanced diagnosis can be done on patient’s body through following tests:
-
MRI of abdomen
-
CT scan of abdomen
-
ERCP – endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (is a technique to check the status of biliary and pancreatic duct in stomach)
-
Endoscopic ultrasound
-
Pancreatic biopsy
-
Liver function tests
-
Complete blood count – CBC
-
Serum bilirubin (a laboratory test)
A complete physical examination with personal and family medical histories is done and asked by the doctors or medical examiners. The tumor might be at any side of the pancreas (head of the pancreas or might be in the tail of the pancreas). During examination, doctors also give special attention to various symptoms and their possible association with the body, which are mentioned above.
Treatment of pancreatic cancer
Lastly, it is the treatment part of this life-taking pancreatic cancer disease. Advanced medical research and diagnosis is on the way to provide effective and immediate treatment for this type of cancer. Though it is difficult, yet, treatment is provided differently at various stages. But, frankly speaking there is no single treatment for pancreatic cancer. This type of cancer is curable only when the cases are detected at early stage.
At early stage, it is possible to remove all the cancer cells from pancreas especially by doing surgery. But, if the diagnosis is not made at early stage then it is almost impossible to clear out the entire cancer cells form pancreas. There are three main surgical treatment procedures and they are – Whipple procedure (Head part of the pancreas is removed. This is very risky and complex treatment.), total pancreatectomy procedure (Removes entire pancreas because a human being can live without pancreas also. But, diabetes will often result because there will be no insulin for body.) and distal pancreatectomy procedure (tail part of pancreas can be removed treating islet cells).
Most common treatment of cancer is radiation. Radiation treatment is given on every 5 days in a week for almost 5 to 6 weeks. Radiation destroys cancer cells. Another important treatment is chemotherapy, which is given after surgery also to kill any missed cancer cells. Even a single alive cancer cell can cause pancreatic cancer again. Consumption of fruits and vegetables, healthy exercise, maintaining diabetes and quitting smoking can give better prevention against pancreatic cancer.
