If you or a loved one has been diagnosed with pancreatic cancer, you need to know the various stages and treatments available. You also need to know the risk factors for this disease. If you are one of the many people diagnosed with pancreatic cancer, there are some things that you need to know before going to the doctor.
Stages
Pancreatic cancer has four distinct stages: early, advanced, and metastatic. Early-stage pancreatic cancer is localized and may be curable through surgery. However, advanced-stage cancer may have spread to nearby lymph nodes or distant organs. At this stage, patients should seek a specialist with extensive experience in pancreatic cancer for treatment.
The early-stage pancreatic cancer is resectable when the tumor has not spread to the lymph nodes or nearby organs. However, stage IIA and IIB cancers have already spread to nearby organs, lymph nodes, and distant sites. Cancer has spread to nearby lymph nodes and major blood vessels in the later stages.
Stage I pancreatic cancer is characterized by a single, small tumor in the pancreas. Stage II pancreatic cancer has spread to nearby lymph nodes and may have spread to major blood vessels. In stage III pancreatic cancer, cancer has spread to other organs, such as the liver or the peritoneum.
Treatment options
Treatment options for pancreatic cancer depend on the stage of the disease. If the cancer is not yet spreading to other body parts, it can be treated with surgery. If it has already spread, treatment options include palliative chemotherapy, which can help improve energy levels and appetite. However, the side effects of this treatment should be weighed against the potential benefit in terms of quality of life.
Immunotherapy is a form of chemotherapy that works by increasing the body’s natural defenses to fight cancer. It uses materials made by the body and those made in the laboratory to boost the immune system. It uses antibodies that target the cancer cell’s antigens. The drug is administered as a pill twice daily and may cause nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and fatigue. It can also cause low red blood cell counts and taste changes.
Chemotherapy may also be part of the treatment options for pancreatic cancer. In some cases, it is combined with radiation therapy. The combination is often given before or after surgery. This treatment is also referred to as neoadjuvant or pre-operative therapy. In addition to surgery, patients may receive chemotherapy or radiation therapy to shrink the tumor or surrounding blood vessels.
Risk factors
The incidence of pancreatic cancer has increased substantially over the past decade, especially among women and the older population. These trends may be related to socioeconomic and biological factors. For example, the age of onset may be lower among smokers and those with a family history of the disease. Early-onset pancreatic cancer is associated with an increased number of CDKN2A mutations and expression of the FOXC2 gene.
Other risk factors that increase the risk of pancreatic cancer include hepatitis B and C virus infection and Helicobacter pylori infection. Blood type is also associated with the development of pancreatic cancer. Approximately 100,000 U.S. health professionals have undergone blood type tests to examine whether there are links between blood type and pancreatic cancer risk.
Smoking and obesity are also known to increase the risk of pancreatic cancer. Smokers are at a significantly higher risk of the disease than non-smokers. Furthermore, people with diabetes are more likely to have the disease if they smoke.
Diagnosis
A doctor’s pancreatic cancer diagnosis usually involves several tests, including blood tests, imaging tests, and biopsies. These tests give the doctor an accurate picture of cancer and help them decide on the best treatment plan. Because there is no standard diagnostic screening test for patients at average risk for pancreatic cancer, diagnosis of pancreatic cancer is often difficult. However, doctors can use advanced imaging techniques such as magnetic resonance imaging to detect pancreatic cancer.
Pancreatic cancer is rare, but a few symptoms can indicate the disease. The most common symptoms include upper abdominal pain and a palpable mass in the abdomen. In addition, imaging tests for pancreatic cancer can diagnose cystadenocarcinoma, which typically shows a cystic mass surrounded by debris. However, the condition may also be misinterpreted as a necrotic adenocarcinoma or pancreatic pseudocyst.
Another test used to diagnose pancreatic cancer is a CT scan. This diagnostic test uses X-rays taken from different angles to produce a detailed image. Occasionally, a contrast dye is injected to help doctors visualize the affected area. These tests are essential in determining if pancreatic cancer has spread to other body parts.
