Symptoms of pancreatic cancer

⦿ Pain in the belly
⦿ Jaundice (skin and eyes turning yellow)
⦿ Losing weight without trying
⦿ Not feeling hungry
⦿ Feeling sick to your stomach
⦿ Feeling very tired
⦿ Changes in how often or how you go to the bathroom

Tests for the Pancreatic Cancer:

ERCP, short for Endoscopic Retrograde Cholangiopancreatography, is a medical procedure that helps diagnose and treat pancreatic cancer. In this process, a thin tube with a camera, called an endoscope, is passed through the mouth down into the small intestine.

 

A special dye is then injected into the ducts of the pancreas and bile, which allows them to be seen clearly on X-rays. This helps doctors spot any blockages, narrowing, or other issues in these ducts that might suggest pancreatic cancer is present.

 

Stages of Pancreas Cancer

Pancreatic cancer is staged based on the extent of the disease. The stages of pancreatic cancer are as follows:

Stage 0: Known as carcinoma in situ, this stage means the cancer is only in the top layer of pancreas cells and hasn’t gone deeper.

Stage I: The cancer is only in the pancreas and hasn’t moved to nearby lymph nodes or other parts of the body.

Stage II: The cancer has reached nearby lymph nodes but hasn’t spread to faraway places.

Stage III: The cancer has grown into major blood vessels near the pancreas or reached nearby lymph nodes.

Stage IV: The cancer has spread to distant parts of the body, like the liver, lungs, or lymph nodes far from the pancreas.

Staging of pancreatic cancer

CT Scan: A CT scan combines X-rays with computer technology to make detailed pictures of the inside of the body. It shows the body’s internal structures in slices.

Treatment for pancreatic cancer

⦿ The Whipple procedure is a surgery to remove the pancreas’s head, part of the bile duct, duodenum, and sometimes part of the stomach.
⦿ It’s for treating pancreatic cancer that can be removed, called resectable pancreatic cancer, where the tumor hasn’t spread.
⦿ After taking out these parts, the surgeon reconnects the remaining organs so the digestive system works normally again.
⦿ This complex surgery needs a skilled team and is usually done in specialized centers.
⦿ Recovery can take weeks, and patients might need extra treatments like chemotherapy.

⦿ Distal Pancreatosplenectomy is an operation that removes the left side of the pancreas and the spleen.
⦿ It’s typically performed when cancer is found in the pancreas’s body or tail.
⦿ The main aim is to remove the cancer and any close-by affected tissue.
⦿ This surgery can often be done with less invasive techniques, such as laparoscopy or robot-assisted surgery.
⦿ Patients may require further treatments like chemotherapy or radiation after surgery.