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.
Describes cancer in situ, which has not yet spread outside of the duct in which it first
appeared.
Stage 1:
A pancreatic tumor with a diameter of 2 cm or less. The lymph nodes are not affected.
Stage 2:
The tumor is above 4 cm in size and has spread outside the pancreas. It has not migrated to
neighboring lymph nodes, arteries, veins, or other body organs.
Stage 3:
Any size tumor that has reached four or more local lymph nodes but not the arteries, veins, or
other bodily organs in the area.
Stage 4:
Tumor that has progressed to other bodily parts.
Treatment Modalities
a. Surgical Oncology
Surgery for pancreatic cancer could require removing all or a portion of the pancreas, based
on the location and severity of the pancreatic tumor. A piece of the tumor’s
surrounding healthy tissue is frequently removed as well. Depending on the surgery’s
goal, various surgical procedures are carried out laparoscopy, whipple procedure, distal
pancreatectomy, and total pancreatectomy.
b. Medical Oncology
Chemotherapy- Chemotherapy kills cancer cells by using chemicals.
One chemotherapy medicine may be administered, or two or more drugs may be combined.
Targeted Therapy- For the treatment of advanced endometrial
cancer, targeted medication therapy is frequently used in conjunction with chemotherapy.
Immunotherapy- A medicinal therapy called immunotherapy supports
the immune system’s ability to fight cancer. If the cancer is advanced and other
treatments have failed for endometrial cancer, immunotherapy may be tried.
c. Radiation Oncology
To kill cancer cells, radiation therapy employs powerful energy beams like protons and
X-rays. Radiation from a machine outside of your body or radiation implanted inside of your
body can both be used in radiation therapy.
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
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.
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.
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.
Specialized Doctors at M | O | C
Dr. Vashistha Pankaj Maniar
M.D (Internal Medicine) D.M(Medical Oncology) ECMO (European Society Certification in Medical Oncology)
Speciality-
Medical and Pediatric Hemato-Oncologist.
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