What is Pancreatic Cancer?
Pancreatic Cancer, also known as exocrine cancer, is a disease where malignant (cancer) cells appear in the tissues of the pancreas.
The pancreas is a yellowish gland organ beneath the stomach about six to seven inches long producing digestive internal (enzymes from exocrine pancreas) and external (hormones from endocrine pancreas) secretions. The secreted pancreatic juice contains enzymes that facilitate digestion through breaking down of large molecules (fats, carbohydrates, and protein) into simple sugars; glycerol and fatty acids; and amino acids and small peptides. The secreted hormones, insulin and glucagon, work together to regulate glucose (sugar) level in the blood. Insulin lowers blood sugar level while storing carbohydrate in the liver which is in turn released by glucagon if blood sugar level falls very low.
Uncontrolled multiplication of a group of cells in the pancreas provides a simple explanation to what is pancreatic cancer. There is no scientific explanation as to how one develops pancreatic cancer. However, it is not a contagious disease so it cannot be obtained from another person having it. Over 29,000 people in the United States are diagnosed with the disease every year.
Although causes of pancreatic cancer are not determined directly, there are risk factors shown by statistical data. Such risk factors depict greater probability on having the disease. People more prone to pancreatic cancer are those above sixty years old, smokers, people with diabetes, males, African Americans, people with a family history of developing cancers, and people who suffer chronic pancreatitis.
Symptoms of pancreatic cancer are often noticed during the later stages. This is why pancreatic cancer is regarded as a “silent” disease. Symptoms may include pain in the abdomen or upper back; yellow skin and eyes, and dark urine caused by tumor blocking the common bile duct giving no way for bile to flow into the digestive system (jaundice); weakness; appetite loss; weight loss; as well as nausea and vomiting. Such symptoms do not directly point to pancreatic cancer but may aid in diagnosis. They may be results of a different infection or problem that is why it is best to consult a doctor for medical findings and proceed to proper treatment.
The patient’s medical history will assist doctors in cases where symptoms of pancreatic cancer are observed. Procedures performed to determine a disease or physical problem may vary from one case to another. Physical exams include tracing signs of jaundice and checking physical areas close to the pancreas, liver, and gallbladder. Abnormal buildup of fluid in the abdomen (ascites) is also checked.
Laboratory tests include blood, urine, and stool samples to check presence of bilirubin which is a substance passed from the liver to the gallbladder to the intestine. A tumor blocking the common bile duct may cause very high bilirubin levels in the blood, stool or urine.
Computed tomography (CT Scan) is done with the use of an x-ray machine with a hole that passes through the patient laying on a bed. This procedure generates pictures of the pancreas and other parts of the abdomen.
Ultrasonography involves the use of an ultrasound device that uses sound waves that produce a pattern of echoes. This leads experts to identify the difference between echoes generated by healthy tissues and those from tumors. Transabdominal ultrasound is an external device showing images of the pancreas and its surroundings by moving the device on the skin’s surface where the pancreas may be seen. Endoscopic ultrasound (EUS) is an internal device inserted into a patient’s mouth down to the stomach until it reaches the first part of the small intestines where images of the pancreas and its surroundings can be made. Either or both of these ultrasound procedures may be performed.
Endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) is done when a doctor performs an endoscopy paired with insertion of a catheter through which dye may be injected into the bile and pancreatic ducts before taking x-ray images. Images will then show if the ducts are narrowed or blocked due to a tumor or a different condition.
Percutaneous transhepatic cholangiography is when a doctor injects dye using a thin needle through the skin into the liver. The dye should flow freely into the ducts unless there’s a blockage caused by tumor or a different condition. This will be seen with the use of x-ray images taken while the dye travels.
Biopsy is performed by taking tissue samples from a patient and having a pathologist examine presence of cancer cells. Fine needle aspiration is the extraction of cells by inserting a needle guided by an ultrasound or x-ray into the pancreas. Biopsy may be done along with performing the EUS or ERCP. Biopsy is also done during operations where the abdomen is open.
Upon diagnosis of pancreatic cancer, the extent of the cancer must be determined. The doctor needs to explain what is pancreatic cancer and what is the proper treatment applicable to the current stage. Such information is necessary to build the trust between the doctor and his patient. Cancer is a disease which is difficult to deal with and requires some time for acceptance. This is where second opinions take place. Pursuing a second opinion before starting treatment can be helpful to eliminate doubts and uncertainties before agreeing to a treatment method. Second opinions may be required by health insurance companies or may result from a patient’s requisition for it.
Reliant on type and stage, pancreatic cancer patients may be treated with surgery, radiation therapy, chemotherapy, or combinations of treatments. Removal of cancer affected parts of the pancreas is done through surgery. High energy rays are used to kill cancer cells in radiation therapy. Drug prescriptions are used to kill cancer cells in chemotherapy.
What is pancreatic cancer patient faced with? Cancer patients and people directly connected to them go through emotional battles with anger, fear, confusion, and depression. Cancer changes lives of those affected by it. Chances for cure are possible during the early stage of the disease. This is because it is treated before it spreads or affects other parts of the body. Where cure is not available, other treatments help control the spread of the cancer, allow the patient to live longer, and help the patient live a normal life. Palliative therapy aims to improve quality of life for patients by regulating pain and controlling other harms caused by the cancer.