The cancer type that starts in the pancreas cells is called pancreatic cancer. An organ that is located behind the stomach is called the pancreas. It produces specific enzymes and hormones that help digest food and manage blood sugar.
The most common type of pancreatic cancer starts in the pancreas ducts that carry digestive enzymes and it is called pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma. However, pancreatic cancer is rarely found in the early stages when the curing chances are quite high because it does not cause any symptoms. Treatment for pancreatic cancer usually involves surgery, chemotherapy, radiation therapy, and others.
Symptoms
This condition usually does not cause symptoms until it advances. However, when the symptoms occur, they may include the following ones. For example:
- Jaundice (yellowing of the whites of the eyes and skin)
- Urine color changes
- Light-colored or floating stools
- Itching
- Weight loss
- Loss of appetite
- Abdominal pain
- Swelling and pain in a leg or arm (sometimes this symptom is caused by a blood clot)
- Weakness
- Tiredness
If you experience any of the previous symptoms, immediately contact your healthcare professional.
Causes
Healthcare providers do not fully understand why it happens, but they have identified some factors that may contribute to this cancer type. These include smoking, a family history of pancreatic cancer, and others.
Pancreatic cancer like many others starts to appear when cells develop DNA mutations (changes). In such cases, pancreas cells develop these DNA mutations. Normally, DNA holds instructions that tell a cell when to grow, multiply, and die. However, mutated DNA gives the cells different instructions that make them grow and multiply abnormally. Moreover, cancerous cells live much longer than healthy ones. When abnormal cells become too much, they form a mass called a tumor that may invade and destroy healthy tissue. Over time, the tumor may break and spread throughout the body. In such cases, it is called metastatic cancer.
Risk Factors
Check below some factors that may elevate your risk of developing pancreatic cancer:
- Smoking
- Type 2 diabetes
- Pancreatitis (chronic pancreas inflammation)
- Family history of DNA changes and some inherited disorders including the BRCA2 gene, Lynch syndrome, and familial atypical multiple mole melanoma (FAMMM) syndrome.
- Obesity
- Age – Most people diagnosed with this cancer type are over 65 years old.
- Heavy alcohol drinking
- Family history of pancreatic cancer
What Are The Potential Complications of Pancreatic Cancer?
Complications of this cancer type usually appear when it progresses. Check some of them below:
- Weight loss – This cancer type may cause weight loss because it uses more energy in the body than healthy cells do. Moreover, some people may not get enough nutrients because of reduced digestive juice production, the tumor that puts pressure on the stomach, or cancer treatments.
- Jaundice – When the cancer develops in the pancreas it may block the liver’s bile duct, which may lead to this complication. The most common symptoms of this condition are yellowing of the skin and eyes. However, it may cause urine and stool color changes. In such cases, physicians will perform a procedure called endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography. It helps hold the bile duct open.
- Pain – When the tumor becomes large, it may put pressure on the abdominal nerves and cause pain that sometimes can be severe. Therefore, doctors will prescribe some pain relievers to ease pain. Moreover, radiation therapy and chemotherapy may slow down the tumor growth, which also helps lessen pain. When medicines do not work, doctors may perform celiac plexus block. This procedure involves putting alcohol on the abdominal nerves to reduce pain.
- Bowel blockage – In some cases, the tumor may press on the duodenum (the first part of the small bowel). As a result, the digested food that comes from the stomach into the intestines may be blocked. Commonly, physicians recommend putting a stent that will hold the intestines open or surgery to place a feeding tube.
How to Prevent Pancreatic Cancer?
Generally, healthcare providers recommend regular screenings for people with a high risk of developing pancreatic cancer. These include people with a family history of cancer, inherited DNA changes, and others. Screening usually involves imaging tests such as MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) and ultrasound that are done every year.
The screening goal is to identify the cancer in its early stages and remove it. Finding any cancer in its early stages significantly increases the chance of curing it.
In addition, doctors may recommend genetic testing, especially if you have a family history of pancreatic cancer. This test may identify DNA changes that often run in families and increase the risk of developing this cancer type.
Check below some tips that may help reduce the risk of pancreatic cancer:
- Quit smoking or never begin. You should avoid secondhand smoke as well.
- Try to get and maintain a healthy weight because excessive body weight also may elevate your risk of developing pancreatic cancer
- Limit or avoid alcoholic beverages
- Adopt a healthy diet full of fresh fruits, vegetables, and whole grains
Diagnosis
The following tests and procedures are involved to diagnose pancreatic cancer. For example:
- Imaging tests – For example MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) scans, PET (positron emission tomography) scans, CT (computerized tomography) scans, and ultrasound. Previous tests are used to get detailed images of the pancreas and nearby organs. Imaging tests can identify the location and size of the tumor.
- Endoscopic ultrasound – This test involves an endoscope (a thin and long tube with a lighted camera on the end) that helps look closer to the digestive tract organs.
- Biopsy – This test involves the removal of a small sample of the affected tissue and sending it to the laboratory for testing. Doctors will check the sample under the microscope for cancer cells.
- Blood tests – These tests may show tumor markers (proteins that cancerous cells produce). One of them is called CA19-9. However, not every time pancreatic cancer produces extra CA19-9, which makes this blood test not helpful for everyone.
- Genetic testing – This test helps identify abnormal genes that increase the risk of pancreatic cancer.
When the condition is confirmed, doctors will perform additional tests to determine the stage (extent) of the cancer. It usually helps make the best treatment plan for you.
Treatment
The treatment for people with this cancer type is usually different because it depends on several factors. These include your age and preferences, existing health problems, the severity and location of the tumor, and others.
Surgery
This treatment may cure the cancer but it is not an option for everyone. Surgery is an effective option in people with early cancer stage (that has not spread to other body parts). It also cannot be performed if the tumor grows over nearby blood vessels. However, surgery may be done after chemotherapy or radiation therapy that helps shrink the tumor.
- Whipple procedure (also known as pancreaticoduodenectomy) – It involves the removal of the pancreas head and a small part of the small bowel and bile duct. In some cases, surgeons may remove even a small part of the stomach and surrounding lymph nodes.
- Distal pancreatectomy – During this procedure, surgeons will remove the pancreas tail. Mostly, surgeons may need to remove the spleen during distal pancreatectomy.
- Total pancreatectomy – This surgery involves the removal of the pancreas completely. After that, you will take medicines that replace hormones (such as Insulin) and enzymes produced by the pancreas for your entire life.
- Surgery to rebuild nearby blood vessels affected by the cancer – If the tumor negatively affects the nearby blood vessels, you may need additional treatments. However, in the U.S. there are few specialists trained to perform this surgery type safely.
Generally, any surgery carries the risk of certain complications (such as infections, bleeding, and others). That’s why people after surgery need to stay a few days in the hospital and then recover for several weeks at home.
Chemotherapy
This treatment involves strong medications that often are given to the patients via IV (intravenously). However, a pill form also is available. Physicians may recommend chemotherapy either before or after the surgery to shrink the tumor or destroy cancer cells that may remain after surgery. In some cases, physicians may recommend chemotherapy along with radiation therapy.
Radiation Therapy
This treatment uses powerful energy beams to kill cancer cells. This energy usually comes from protons, X-rays, or other sources. During this treatment, the patient lies on a table while a specific machinery delivers the radiation directly to the tumor.
If surgery is not an option, radiation therapy and chemotherapy are the primary treatments.
Immunotherapy
This treatment also involves medicines but these boost the immune system to fight against cancer cells. Commonly, cancer cells produce specific substances that help them hide from immunity. Healthcare providers usually prescribe immunotherapy when other treatments do not work or for people with advanced pancreatic cancer.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the most common pancreatic cancer symptoms?
These include:
- Dark urine
- Nausea
- Vomiting
- Unusual weight loss
- Fatty or greasy stools (also called steatorrhea)
- Jaundice (yellowing of the skin and eyes)
- Abdominal (belly) pain
However, there are multiple health conditions that may cause previous symptoms. That’s why you should see a doctor for diagnosis if any of the symptoms listed above occur.
What is the survival rate for pancreatic cancer?
Generally, the 5-year survival rate for this cancer type is approximately 13%. It means that about 13 people out of 100 survive for 5 years after diagnosis. However, if pancreatic cancer is found early the survival rate increases to 44%. For more details, discuss it with your doctor.
What are the complications of pancreatic cancer?
People may experience complications caused by this cancer type as well as from cancer treatments. Check below some examples:
- Pancreatic insufficiency
- Bowel obstruction
- Jaundice
- Severe pain
- Blood clots
- Liver damage
- Diabetes
- Heart failure
- Malnutrition
- Adverse reactions to cancer treatments (such as extreme tiredness, hair loss, and others)
Discuss with your doctor about ways to reduce the risk of complications caused by pancreatic cancer. Ask your healthcare provider if you have additional questions.
