How To Recognize Pancreatic Cancer: Symptoms, Causes, And Treatment Options

Key Takeaways

Pancreatic cancer is a type of cancer that occurs when cells in the pancreas grow abnormally and uncontrollably.
Pancreatic cancer can be Exocrine or Neuroendocrine.
Symptoms include jaundice, abdominal and back pain, fatigue, bloating, and weight loss.
Risk factors include smoking, obesity, and exposure to chemicals.
Treatment options include surgery, radiation, chemo, and targeted therapies.

Pancreatic cancer affects your pancreas. Its symptoms include nausea, bloating, fatigue, jaundice and lack of appetite. Treatments include surgery, कीमोथेरेपी and radiation therapy.

इनके बारे में जानें:

What is meant by pancreatic cancer?

Your pancreas is a gland in your abdomen between your spine and stomach. It makes hormones that control ब्लड शुगर की मात्रा and enzymes that aid digestion. Pancreatic cancer occurs when cells in your pancreas mutate (change) and multiply out of control, forming a tumor. Most pancreatic cancers start in the ducts of your pancreas.

Types of pancreatic cancers

There are two main types of pancreatic tumors:

Exocrine

Over 90% of all pancreatic tumors are exocrine tumors. The most common type of pancreatic cancer is adenocarcinoma, which begins in the cells that line your organs. Adenocarcinoma cancers can affect several areas of your body, including your lungs, stomach, pancreas and colon.

Neuroendocrine

Less than 10% of pancreatic tumors are neuroendocrine tumors (NETs). They are a group of uncommon tumors that start in specialized cells in your neuroendocrine system. They are most common in your GI tract, lungs and pancreas but can form wherever neuroendocrine cells are in your body.

The symptoms of pancreatic cancer

Pancreatic cancer does not present any early signs. Symptoms typically emerge once the tumor starts impacting other organs in your digestive system. Pancreatic cancer symptoms may include:

Jaundice or yellowing of your skin
Dark urine
Light-colored stool
Upper abdominal pain, which most often involves your digestive system or your biliary system (a network of organs and ducts that produce, store, and release bile into the small intestine to help digest food)
Middle back pain
Fatigue or extreme tiredness
खुजलीदार त्वचा
उबकाई और उल्टी
Gas or bloating
Lack of appetite
Blood clots or semi-solid or gel-like masses that form in your arteries and veins
वज़न घटना
New-onset diabetes which is a condition that happens when your blood sugar is too high

Potential causes for pancreatic cancer

We do not know precisely what causes pancreatic cancer. However, experts have identified some risk factors.

धूम्रपान

pancrea 2_Activ loiving Community

Smoking is when you inhale smoke from burning plant material. Nicotine present in the smoke works on your brain to create a relaxing, pleasurable feeling that makes quitting challenging. Smoking cigarettes, cigars and other forms of tobacco put you at risk for cancer.

मोटापा

Body mass index (BMI) measures the relationship between body weight and height. A BMI of 30 or higher is the usual benchmark for adult obesity. People with obesity, particularly extra weight around their waist, put you at risk for cancer.

Exposure to chemicals

Pesticides are chemical compounds that kill pests, including insects, rodents, fungi and unwanted plants. Petrochemicals are the chemical products obtained from petroleum refining. Exposure to these chemicals (pesticides and petrochemicals) can cause cancer. Also, exposure to chemicals in the dry cleaning, metalworking, and textile industries can increase the risk of pancreatic cancer. Some of them are:

Chlorinated hydrocarbons
Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs)
Metals
Nitrosamines

Treatment options for pancreatic cancer

Even though pancreatic cancer has a poor survival rate, complete remission is possible with early detection and treatment. Following are some pancreatic cancer treatment options:

सर्जरी

Surgery is the only realistic way to cure pancreatic cancer. But surgeons only recommend it when they think they can remove all of the tumor. For surgery to be successful, the cancer must be confined entirely to the pancreas. Even then, total cancer removal may not be possible. Different surgical techniques include:

Whipple procedure (pancreaticoduodenectomy) – Performed when the tumor is in the head of your pancreas (the widest part of your pancreas, near your small intestine)
Distal pancreatectomy – When the tumor is in the tail of your pancreas
Total pancreatectomy – When cancer has spread throughout your pancreas, but resection (removal) is still possible

विकिरण थेरेपी

Radiation therapy uses high-energy X-rays to kill cancer cells. Healthcare providers commonly use this approach to treat pancreatic cancer. Most often, providers combine radiation therapy with chemotherapy (chemoradiation). They may recommend it before, after, or as part of your primary cancer treatment. Radiation therapy can also help ease pancreatic cancer symptoms in people who do not qualify for surgery (in cases of advanced cancer).

कीमोथेरेपी

Chemotherapy uses drugs that kill cancer cells. Healthcare providers give these drugs in pill form or through an IV in your arm. Providers use chemotherapy as a stand-alone treatment – especially for people with advanced pancreatic cancer. They may also recommend chemotherapy before surgery to shrink the tumor or after surgery to kill any remaining cancer cells.

Targeted therapy

This treatment uses drugs that target specific proteins, which control how cancer cells grow and spread. Providers may combine targeted therapy with other treatments, such as radiation therapy.

Prevention tactics

Pancreatic cancer is one of the most challenging forms of cancer due to its typically late diagnosis and aggressive progression. Early detection, improved treatment options, and ongoing research are crucial in the fight against this disease. Prevention strategies, such as maintaining a healthy lifestyle, managing weight, quitting smoking, and limiting alcohol intake, can lower the risk of developing pancreatic cancer. You can take meaningful steps toward prevention and early intervention by staying informed and proactive about personal health.

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