The pancreas is an important organ located in the abdomen area. It plays a vital role in converting the food into energy for the body cells. The pancreas has two major functions: the exocrine function which helps in digestion and an endocrine function that helps in the regulation of blood sugar. Both cancerous and noncancerous tumours can develop in the pancreas. Diagnosis of pancreatic cancer in its early stage can help a lot in the treatment. Let us know more about this condition:
Symptoms
Some common symptoms linked with pancreatic cancer can be:
- Fatigue
- Unintended weight loss
- Abdominal pain radiating to the back
- Yellowing of skin and the whites of eyes (jaundice)
- Loss of appetite
- Dark-coloured urine
- Light-coloured stools
- Blood clots
- Itchy skin
Risk factors
Factors that may increase an individual’s risk of developing pancreatic cancer may include:
- Smoking
- Obesity
- Diabetes
- Old age
- Chronic inflammation of the pancreas (pancreatitis)
- Family history of genetic syndromes can increase the risk of cancer
- Family history of pancreatic cancer
Treatment
Following are the treatment options available for pancreatic cancer:
Surgery
There are majorly four types of surgeries that can be performed to treat pancreatic cancer, namely:
- Surgery for tumours in the pancreatic head
- Surgery for tumours in the pancreatic body and tail
- Surgery for tumours affecting nearby blood vessels
- Surgery to remove the entire pancreas (pancreatectomy)
Chemotherapy
Chemotherapy is a treatment that is used to kill cancer cells with certain types of drugs. These drugs can either be injected or taken orally. The patient may receive one chemotherapy drug or a combination of them depending on their condition. Chemotherapy is also often combined with radiation therapy (chemoradiation). It is typically used to treat cancer that has not spread other organs.
Radiation Therapy
Radiation therapy uses high-energy beams to kill cancer cells. An individual may receive radiation treatments before or after cancer surgery. These are often combined with chemotherapy when the condition cannot be treated surgically.
Proper treatment can improve the quality of life by managing symptoms and complications related to pancreatic cancer. Thus, it is important to only go for the best pancreas specialist in Delhi to get the right treatment.
