Pancreatic cancer

Pancreatic cancer Treatment & Diagnostics in Karol Bagh, Delhi

Pancreatic cancer

Introduction

Pancreatic cancer occurs when your cells start growing uncontrollably in your pancreas. The pancreas is situated behind the stomach in the back of your abdomen, near the gallbladder. It consists of glands responsible for producing hormones that include insulin and enzymes. The symptoms of this cancer include jaundice and abdominal pain. However, they may not occur until the later stages.

About Pancreatic Cancer

Pancreatic cancer starts inside the tissues of the pancreas. This organ plays a vital role in digestion and the creation of digestive enzymes so

your body can digest fats, proteins, and carbohydrates.

As the location of the pancreas is somewhat hidden, it becomes difficult to detect this cancer. Thus, it is usually diagnosed in the later stages. The survival rate depends on the stage in which your cancer is diagnosed.

The stage of cancer denotes how far it has come along. The stages for pancreatic cancer are:

• Stage 1: Cancer begins in the pancreas and is localized.
• Stage 2: Cancer reaches the bile duct and other structures and is regional.
• Stage 3: Cancer starts affecting the lymph nodes but remains regional.
• Stage 4: Cancer reaches the other nearby organs and parts of the body.

What are the Symptoms of Pancreatic Cancer?

You won’t notice any evident symptoms until the later stages of pancreatic cancer. Moreover, the symptoms can also be similar to the symptoms of some other conditions. Thus, diagnosis becomes even more difficult. The common symptoms of pancreatic cancer include:

• Jaundice
• Swelling of the gallbladder or liver
• Blood clots
• Pale gray or fatty stool
• Nausea and vomiting
• Fatigue
• Abdominal or back pain
• Low appetite or weight loss
• Diabetes
• Fever
• Diarrhea
• Indigestion

What are the Causes of Pancreatic Cancer?

The causes of pancreatic cancer are not known yet. It happens when abnormal cells start growing within your pancreas and create tumors. In a healthy body, the healthy cells keep growing and dying in moderate numbers.

However, when you get cancer, cell production increases. Thus, cancer takes over the healthy cells ultimately. While the causes are unknown, some common factors increasing the risk of developing pancreatic cancer include inherited gene mutations and acquired gene mutations.

When to See a Doctor?

The symptoms of pancreatic cancer do not usually occur until the later stages. If you experience any unexplained symptoms that last for 4 weeks or more, like jaundice, get yourself checked. There are other conditions as well that can cause these symptoms so consult your doctor right away.

Request an appointment at Apollo Spectra Hospitals, Karol Bagh, New Delhi.

Call 1860 500 2244 to book an appointment.

How Can You Prevent Pancreatic Cancer?

There are some ways through which you can reduce the risk of developing pancreatic cancer. They include:

• Quitting smoking
• Maintaining a healthy weight
• Choosing a healthy diet
• Meeting a genetic counselor in case of family history of pancreatic cancer

What are the Treatment Options for Pancreatic Cancer?

Your treatment option will depend on your stage of cancer. Treatment aims to kill the cancerous cells and prevent them from spreading. Treatment options may include:

Surgery: Surgery helps in removing all or some parts of the pancreas. It is done to eliminate the tumor. However, it won’t remove cancer that has spread to other parts of the body. It is not recommended for people who are in the latter stages of cancer.

Radiation therapy: This treatment uses X-rays and other high-energy beams for killing cancer cells.

Chemotherapy: This is often combined with other treatments to kill the cancerous cells and prevent their future growth.

Targeted therapy: It makes use of drugs or other methods for targeting cancer cells exclusively and destroying them.

Request an appointment at Apollo Spectra Hospitals, Karol Bagh, New Delhi.

Call1860 500 2244 to book an appointment.

Conclusion

What’s essential is that pancreatic cancer must be diagnosed early so that the prognosis can be better. However, it does not happen often as people start experiencing symptoms in the later stages. If you’re at a higher risk of this cancer like having a family history of this condition, you must speak to your doctor about tests.

References

https://www.cancer.org/cancer/pancreatic-cancer/about/what-is-pancreatic-cancer.html

https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/pancreatic-cancer/

https://emedicine.medscape.com/article/280605-overview