Pancreatic cancer occurs when abnormal cells grow in the pancreas. Your pancreas is in your belly, behind your stomach. It makes juices that help your body digest food. It also makes insulin, which helps control your blood sugar level.
You may have more than one treatment at the same time. For example, you may have surgery to take out part or all of your pancreas. The surgery may include removing your spleen, common bile duct, part of your stomach, or part of your small intestine (duodenum). Other treatments may include radiation therapy, chemotherapy, targeted therapy, or immunotherapy.
You may need to take medicines to help you digest food and control your blood sugar. If you have pain, your doctor will give you medicine or other treatment to help you be more comfortable.
Pancreatic cancer happens when abnormal cells grow in the pancreas. It's usually found after it has spread from the pancreas to other parts of the body. You may need medicines to control pain, help you digest food, and manage your blood sugar. Surgery, radiation therapy, and other treatments are often needed.
Pancreatic cancer usually doesn't cause symptoms at first. It's silent and painless. Symptoms usually don't begin until the cancer has spread. They may include:
Of course, there are other conditions that cause these symptoms, so they don't necessarily mean you have cancer. But it's important to talk to your doctor if you have any of these problems.
Treatment for pancreatic cancer is based on the stage of the cancer and other things, such as your overall health. The main treatments include:
Other options may include immunotherapy or targeted therapy. Your doctor may suggest a clinical trial.
Your doctor will talk with you about your options and then make a treatment plan.
Pain is one of the main concerns of people with pancreatic cancer. But cancer pain can almost always be controlled. You and your doctor have several options to manage your pain.
Sometimes the tumor presses on and blocks the bile duct or upper intestine. This can cause jaundice and problems digesting food. A hollow tube called a stent may be placed to keep the bile duct open. Or a surgical bypass may be done to create a pathway around the blocked area.
Your doctor uses different tests to stage pancreatic cancer. Staging is a way to describe how far the cancer has spread.
You may have one or more of these imaging tests:
These tests can show how big the tumor is, where it’s located, and if it’s spread to other parts of the body.
Your doctor may do a procedure called a staging laparoscopy to see if the cancer has spread outside of the pancreas. Through a small cut in your belly, your doctor uses a thin, lighted tool to look at the pancreas. Your doctor may also take a tissue sample (biopsy) to look for signs of cancer and tumor markers.
Knowing the stage of the cancer can help guide your treatment.
Taking medicines as prescribed, eating healthy food, and getting enough sleep may help you feel better. It’s important to keep up your strength, so try to eat food with extra protein or calories. Get some physical activity each day if you can. Manage stress with relaxation techniques. Consider joining a support group to share your feelings.
Your risk of getting pancreatic cancer is higher if you:
Experts don't know what causes pancreatic cancer. But they do know that changes in the body's DNA play a role in many cancers.
Pancreatic cancer is the growth of abnormal cells in the pancreas. The pancreas is a small organ located deep in the belly, behind your stomach.
The pancreas makes juices that help your body digest food. It also makes insulin and other hormones that help control your blood sugar.
There are two main types of pancreatic tumors: exocrine and endocrine. The type of tumor depends on which type of cells are involved. Exocrine (say "EX-oh-krin") cells make digestive juices. Endocrine (say "EN-doh-krin") cells make insulin. Most people with pancreatic cancer have exocrine tumors, which grow faster than endocrine tumors.
Treatments are more successful when cancer is found early. But in most cases, pancreatic cancer has already spread by the time it is found. Still, treatment may help you feel better, and it helps some people live longer.
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