Pancreas Cancer

Understanding Pancreas Cancer

Years ago, being diagnosed with cancer was considered the scariest visit to the doctor's office. Immediately, the word cancer conjured thoughts of weight and hair loss, bouts of chemotherapy, and then death. The prognosis was hardly optimistic, even if a person was diagnosed early. Today, the advances in cancer research have increased the lifespan of patients diagnosed with most types of cancer. However, for pancreas cancer, the prognosis is still poor, even when the diagnosis occurs in the early stages.

Pancreas cancer, more commonly known as pancreatic cancer, starts in the pancreas tissues, which is a large organ behind the lower part of your stomach. Enzymes are secreted from the pancreas to aid in the digestion process. Also, these enzymes help to regulate the metabolism of sugars. This type of cancer spreads rapidly, thus early detection is rare and makes this the leading cause of cancer deaths. Generally, there are no signs until the cancer is advanced and surgery will not make a difference.

Causes of Pancreas Cancer

The more common risk factors for pancreas cancer are:

• Smoking
• Advanced age
• Male (Men have a higher risk for getting pancreatic cancer.)
• Chronic pancreatitis (Inflammation of the pancreas from gallstones or excessive alcohol intake)
• Diabetes mellitus
• A family history of pancreatic cancer

Diagnosing pancreas cancer is not always easy because the symptoms may be attributed to other less serious conditions. The lack of specific symptoms may explain why a high number of people are in the advanced stage of the disease once it has been discovered. The main symptoms may include:

• Pain in the abdomen and/or back;
• Weight loss associated with bloating, diarrhea or a loss of appetite;
• Jaundice

Treatment for Pancreas Cancer

The stage of the cancer will determine the optimal treatment a patient will receive. There are three categories which define the extent of the cancer. Localized is when the cancer is only confined to the pancreas. Locally advanced is the stage when the cancer has spread beyond the pancreas to nearby blood vessels or organs. And finally, the metastasis stage, where the cancer has spread to other part of the body.

Patients with localized cancer may receive surgery, chemotherapy or radiation therapy. If surgery cannot safely remove the cancer for locally advanced because of the presence of certain risk factors, a combination of chemotherapy and radiation therapy may be recommended. Chemotherapy is the most common form of treatment for cancer that is locally advanced or metastatic.

Contact | Privacy Policy And Terms Of Use