Pancreatic Cancer - Cancer of the Pancreas

Insulin, the hormone that maintains the blood glucose level, is produced by a gland, known as pancreas. Pancreas is located behind the stomach and adjacent to the small intestine in the upper part of abdomen. Pancreas also produces certain enzymes that are necessary for the digestion of food. Pancreatic cancer results from the uncontrolled growth of malignant cells. It starts in the channels, carrying the pancreatic juices and is referred to as exocrine pancreatic cancer. It is also known as adenocarcinoma. When the cancer starts in the cells, which produce insulin, it is known as islet cell pancreatic cancer or endocrine cancer. Pancreatic cancer spreads through the lymphatic system to other body parts such as liver, bones, lungs, etc. Pancreatic cancer is the fifth leading cause of death by cancer. Every year, about 30,000 people in the United States are diagnosed with the cancer of pancreas. Let's get more information about the causes, symptoms and treatment of pancreatic cancer.

Risk Factors for Pancreatic Cancer

Although the exact causes of pancreatic cancer are not known, there are certain factors that can increase the risk of pancreatic cancer. Some of the main risk factors are smoking, age, obesity, family history of pancreatic cancer, race and gender. Smoking is one of the major risk factors for pancreatic cancer. Cigarette smokers are likely to develop the pancreatic cancer 2-3 times more than the nonsmokers. Chronic pancreatitis is another main cause of pancreatic cancer. People with diabetes mellitus are also more prone to pancreatic cancer.

Pancreatic cancer is more commonly seen in the people older than 50 years of age. Black people in the United States are more likely to develop the cancer of pancreas. Family history of genetic syndromes including Peutz-Jeghers syndrome, BRCA2 gene mutation, familial atypical mole-malignant melanoma and Lynch syndrome can increase the risk of pancreatic cancer. Pancreatic cancer can lead to pain in abdomen, loss of appetite, diarrhea, etc. Read on to know the symptoms of pancreatic cancer in detail.

Symptoms of Pancreatic Cancer

Pancreatic cancer symptoms generally do not appear, until the disease is in the advanced stage. In the early stage of cancer, there are no significant symptoms. Hence, pancreatic cancer is known as a silent disease. As the cancer develops, the patient experiences pain in the upper abdomen and sometimes in the back. The pain worsens after eating or lying down. Some other signs and symptoms of pancreatic cancer are loss of appetite, nausea, weakness and weight loss.

If the common bile duct is blocked by the tumor, the bile cannot pass into the digestive system. As a result, there is yellowing of the skin and whites of the eyes. This condition is referred to as jaundice. In case of islet cell pancreatic cancer, there may be excessive production of insulin. It can lead to weakness, dizziness, muscle spasms, chills and diarrhea. In the later stages of pancreatic cancer, there may be severe itching due to accumulation of high levels of bile acids in the skin. There is reduction in the release of pancreatic enzymes due to cancer, which can give rise to a number of digestive problems. Pancreatic cancer should be diagnosed in the early stage, so that one can get an appropriate medical treatment. Following are some tests and investigations carried out for the diagnosis of pancreatic cancer.

Diagnosis of Pancreatic Cancer

To diagnose the pancreatic cancer, a physical examination of the patient is carried out. The doctor asks about the personal and family medical history of the patient. Some laboratory investigations and imaging tests are advised for an accurate diagnosis. Certain blood tests are performed for the determination of levels of serum bilirubin, gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase and alkaline phosphatase. Levels of serum lipase and amylase are also checked. Some of the imaging tests conducted for the diagnosis include ultrasound, CT scan, MRI scan, endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP), endoscopic ultrasound (EUS) and percutaneous transhepatic cholangiography (PTC). During the biopsy, a small sample of pancreatic tissue is taken for the microscopic examination.

Once the diagnosis of pancreatic cancer is confirmed, staging of the cancer is carried out with chest X-ray, laparoscopy, CT scan, MRI scan, bone scan and Positron Emission Tomography (PET) scan. Blood test for the tumor marker, CA19-9, is also significant. Elevated levels of CA19-9 indicate the advanced stage of pancreatic cancer. The three major stages of pancreatic cancer can be described as respectable, locally advanced and metastatic. Once you are diagnosed with pancreatic cancer, you should immediately seek medical treatment. Well, let's look into the treatment options for pancreatic cancer.

How to Treat Pancreatic Cancer

A treatment for pancreatic cancer depends on the location and stage of the cancer. The treatment options are decided depending upon the patient’s age, overall health and personal preference. Various treatment options for pancreatic cancer are surgery, chemotherapy and radiation therapy. Surgery is recommended to remove a part of or the entire pancreas. Surgery is done to remove the tumors in the pancreatic head (Pancreatoduodenectomy) and to remove the tumors in the pancreatic tail and body (Distal Pancreatectomy). However, if the cancer spreads to other organs, blood vessels or lymph nodes, surgery is not a right option. In such cases, you may go for chemotherapy or radiation therapy.

Chemotherapy and radiation therapy are used to destroy the cancer cells. In case of advanced pancreatic cancer, targeted drug therapy is also used along with chemotherapy. Targeted drug therapy focuses the specific abnormalities within the cancer cells. The drugs such as erlotinib, cetuximab are used in this therapy.

Although there are various treatment options available for the pancreatic cancer, it is always better to take some precautions to prevent the cancer of pancreas. Quit smoking, maintaining a healthy body weight, regular exercises and having a healthy diet are some of the ways to minimize the risk of pancreatic cancer. These preventive measures are also important for eliminating other health problems, leading to a healthy life.