Pancreatic Cancer

About Pancreatic Cancer

In pancreatic cancer, healthy cells in the pancreas begin to malfunction and proliferate out of control. These malignant cells can aggregate and develop into a mass known as a tumor. Malignant refers to the ability of a cancerous tumor to develop and metastasize to different body regions.

Risk Factors & Prevention

Adults over 45 are most likely to get pancreatic cancer. Some of the risk factors:

• Obesity
• Smoking
• Diabetes
• Family History
• Rare inherited conditions
• Exposure to chemicals
• Liver Cirrhosis
• Infections and bacteria

How can it be prevented?

• Quit Smoking
• Maintain healthy weight
• Avoid Alcohol
• Limit exposure to chemicals

Screening

Finding pancreatic cancer early is challenging. Early tumors cannot be seen or felt by healthcare professionals during standard physical exams since the pancreas is located deep inside the body. Some persons may have a higher chance of developing pancreatic cancer due to family history. Genetic testing searches for the gene alterations that result in these inherited disorders and raise the risk of pancreatic cancer.

Symptoms & Signs

• Yellow skin and/or eyes, darkened urine, itching, and feces that is the color of clay
• Upper abdominal, upper back, or arm pain
• A painful blood clot-related swelling of the arm or leg
• Various gastrointestinal discomforts such as a burning sensation in the stomach
• Abdominal bloating
• Stools that float and have an odd color and smell because the body is having trouble processing fats
• Weakness
• The inability to eat
• Nausea and diarrhea
• Sweats and chills
• Fever
• Unaccounted-for weight loss

Diagnosis

Pancreatic cancer diagnostic tests determine whether you have the disease and how aggressive it may be.

Tools and tests include:

• Physical examination
• Blood tests
• CA19-9
• Imaging tests
• CT or CAT scan
• PET-CT scan
• Endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP)
• Ultrasound
• Transabdominal ultrasound
• The endoscopic ultrasound (EUS)
• PTC
• MRI
• Biopsy
• Fine needle aspiration (FNA)
• Core needle biopsy
• biomarker

Sub-Types and Stages

1. Exocrine tumors
   • Ductal adenocarcinoma
   • Intraductal papillary mucinous neoplasm (IPMN)
   • Acinar cell carcinoma
   • Adenosquamous carcinoma
   • Colloid carcinoma
   • Giant cell tumor
   • Hepatoid carcinoma
   • Mucinous cystic neoplasms
   • Pancreatoblastoma
   • Serous cystadenoma
   • Signet ring cell carcinoma
   • Solid and pseudopapillary tumors
   • Squamous cell carcinoma
   • Undifferentiated carcinoma
2. Endocrine tumors
3. Pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors (PNETs)

Stages

Treatment Modalities

Coping with Treatment

Along with the medical side effects of pancreatic cancer therapy, patients also deal with the financial burden of cancer care and the emotional and social impacts. Talking to a counselor, or family member can help them to cope with treatment. MOC provides facility of psycho Onco-Counseling and Nutritional counseling to help patients.

Do’s & Don’ts During Treatments

Do’s

• Maintain healthy weight
• Keep yourself hydrated
• Eat small meals

Don’ts

• Reduce sugar intake
• Avoid red meat
• Reduce caffeine and alcohol intake

Post-Treatment Support

Post-treatment pancreatic cancer survivors can go through long-term side effects of surgery, radiation therapy, chemotherapy, and hormonal therapy. They can also have symptoms such as extreme tiredness (fatigue), diarrhea, being sick, loss of appetite, taste changes or a sore mouth, losing hair, numbness in your fingers or toes, and blood clots. Survivors require empathy, mental strength, and support from their families, they can also join pancreatic cancer Post-Treatment Survivorship Support Groups.

Follow-ups Cancer Care Plan

Post-treatment one must request a follow-up treatment plan. Doctors provide a personalized treatment plan based on the type and stage of cancer.

Surveillance and monitoring for Signs & Symptoms of Recurrence

One aim of follow-up care is checking for a recurrence. One should never miss follow-up visits and never ignore any symptoms of recurrence. Because some cancer cells may remain undiscovered in the body in small locations that don’t respond to treatment, cancer can reoccur. A physician who is knowledgeable about your medical history can provide you with personalized information regarding your risk of recurrence during follow-up care

FAQ’s

1. Which factors lead to pancreatic cancer?

   Fundamentally, DNA damage is what causes pancreatic cancer. These DNA changes can develop in one of three ways: either through inheritance, by actions like smoking, or just by chance.

2. What Can I Do to Lower My Chances of Pancreatic Cancer?

   One should think about quitting smoking, losing weight, considering genetic testing, or taking part in screening trials for early cancer detection if pancreas cancer runs in your family.

3. Who is at the highest risk?

   People whose family has at least two cases of pancreatic cancer. Ashkenazi Jewish people, those who smoke, are over 50 years old, and overweight people.