Pancreatic Cancer Diagnosis And Treatment

What is pancreatic cancer?

In pancreatic cancer grows a tumor in the pancreas. The disease presents in the beginning often no symptoms. However, the tumor can continue to grow in other bodies. Then you get symptoms such as:

1. a nagging pain or upper middle of the abdomen;
2. a feeling of weakness;
3. little or no appetite;
4. diarrhea;
5. weight loss.

A tumor in or around the head of the pancreas sometimes closes off the bile duct. This gives rise to, for example:

1. jaundice;
2. a thin, light-colored stools;
3. dark urine.

Also, itching all over the body occurs.

How pancreatic cancer occurs is not clear. Smoking increases the risk of pancreatic cancer. Also, a chronic inflammation of the pancreas increases the risk of developing pancreatic cancer. In approximately 5% of patients, heredity is a cause.

Sometimes the surgeon can operate even pancreatic cancer. The surgeon then pulls the pancreas and other organs affected road.

Unfortunately, pancreatic cancer is often discovered late. Healing is no longer possible. These people are receiving treatment to slow the disease and to combat pain. Half of people with pancreatic cancer dies within six months after diagnosis.

How does the doctor determines that you have pancreatic cancer?

If the doctor suspects that you have pancreatic cancer, then they will refer you to a specialist. That may be an internist, a gastroenterologist and hepatologist or a surgeon. The specialist does some tests to determine if you indeed have pancreatic cancer.

1. Blood tests.
2. Ultrasound. The doctor makes an ultrasound of your upper abdomen. So they can see if there are abnormalities in the pancreas and the organs around it (bile duct, liver). The doctor sees an anomaly, they can do a puncture on that spot. For a biopsy, the doctor numbs your skin topically. With a thin needle she sucks on cells. A lab then checks to see if these cells are malignant or not.
3. CT-scan. This study shows whether a tumor is, how large the tumor is and where he is.

If these studies indicate that you (probably) have pancreatic cancer, it is usually additional research is needed. The aim is to gain certainty and to determine how far the disease has progressed.

Research on metastasis in pancreatic cancer

U is found to have pancreatic cancer. How far is the disease? There are metastases?
The following surveys are available:

1. ERCP research. This study combines an x-ray examination of the pancreas with an endoscopy. During endoscopy, the surgeon may also do a biopsy. If you have jaundice, the doctor during ERCP can insert a plastic tube. This tube will ensure that the bile is drained.
2. MRI scan .
3. Laparoscopy (keyhole surgery). This research is done under general anesthesia. A laparoscopy is especially suited to show any metastases. Through a viewing tube can remove and examine the doctor ascites and small pieces of tissue.

Surgery to cure pancreatic cancer

In some people with pancreatic cancer surgery is possible to cure. The tumor is then usually in (or around) the head of the pancreas. The surgery is called Whipple surgery.
The surgeon gets the part of the pancreas in which the tumor is clear. It removes the duodenum, gall bladder, and a large part of the bile duct. Also, the surgeon extracts the lymph nodes surrounding the pancreas way and sometimes a portion of the stomach.
After that, the surgeon connects the pancreas, the bile duct and, if appropriate, the remaining part of the stomach to the small intestine again.

The pathologist examines the bodies removed. The results you get after one to two weeks. Then you know that the cancer is completely gone.

After the operation, or which breaks once wound fluid in the abdominal cavity. Drains (flexible tubes) carry this moisture.
Maybe you get a feeding tube temporarily after surgery.
Chances are that you experience your digestion. A dietitian will then give you nutritional advice.

Treatment to inhibit pancreatic cancer and to combat pain

In most people with pancreatic cancer cure is no longer possible. The disease has already progressed too far. You will get a treatment to inhibit cancer and to combat pain (palliative treatment). Which palliative treatment you receive depends on your symptoms.

1. When jaundice allows the surgeon to operate. She places a small tube (endoprosthesis) in your bile duct. This tube drains the bile.
2. It happens sometimes that a tumor has the duodenum damaged. The food in the stomach can not continue. The result is a blockage. Here, too, helps an operation. The surgeon makes a connection between the stomach and the healthy part of the small intestine.

Does the pain tumor, radiation therapy available to fight the pain.

Nutritional problems in pancreatic cancer

People with pancreatic cancer may have problems eating. Usually digests the food at some point no longer good. This is due to a deficiency of pancreatic enzymes. You will get severe diarrhea and you fall off a lot. To remedy these complaints you get from your doctor pancreatic enzymes in tablet form.
There are indications that specific fatty acids from fish oil combined with additional nutrients and slow down the weight loss of strength. This diet is not for everyone: first consultation with a dietitian.

You can get through the less well-functioning pancreatic diabetes (diabetes). You then need to follow a strict diabetic diet. With eating and regular medication can keep blood sugar stable. So you have little burden of diabetes.

Many people with pancreatic cancer have a poor appetite, a feeling of fullness and a rejection of some products. Maybe this will help:

1. Enter your normal diet with dietary or nutritional drink.
2. Do not eat too much at once, but eat six times a day for example, a small portion.
3. Drink at least half liters per day.