Prevention & Treatment for Pancreatic Cancer

Pancreatic cancer affects the pancreas, an organ found behind the stomach. This organ secretes hormones, such as insulin, that help regulate blood sugar levels and enzymes that help the body digest food. Some of the symptoms of pancreatic cancer are jaundice, back or abdominal pain, fatigue and weight loss. It is possible to prevent or treat pancreatic cancer, but the disease is often difficult to diagnose during early stages.

Surgery

• Surgery is possible only if the cancer is found solely in the pancreas. During surgery for pancreatic cancer, physicians usually take out part or all of the pancreas. If the cancer has spread to areas near the pancreas, they sometimes remove part of the pancreas, stomach, small intestine, lymph nodes, gallbladder and bile duct during a surgery known as the Whipple procedure. This surgery is done when the cancer is found in the head of the pancreas.

  Another surgical procedure for pancreatic cancer involves the removal of tumors found in the tail and body of the pancreas. Doctors may also take out the spleen during this surgery. Other surgeries for pancreatic cancer are the total gastronomy, during which the stomach is removed; liver resurrection, during which a portion or the full liver is taken out; and cryosurgical ablation, during which tissue is frozen to kill cancerous cells.

Therapy

• Chemotherapy is a common treatment for people with cancer that is either locally advanced or widespread. Locally advanced means that the cancer has spread to nearby tissues, lymph nodes and organs but not to distant parts of the body. Widespread means that the cancer has spread throughout the lymphatic system and bloodstream. Chemotherapy is a type of therapy where patients are given medications orally or intravenously that are meant to kill or shrink cancerous cells in the pancreas and other parts of the body. During chemotherapy for pancreatic cancer, patients are given intravenous injections of chemotherapy drugs such as Gemcitabine, Erlotinib and/or Capecitabine.

  People with locally advanced pancreatic cancer are often given radiation therapy in conjunction with chemotherapy. Radiation therapy uses high-powered rays to kill cancerous cells and/or keep them from growing. This therapy is sometimes used to lessen pain or digestive issues that people with pancreatic cancer experience as a result of a blockage in the bile duct or small intestine. There are two types of radiation therapy that people with pancreatic cancer are given, external beam radiation or brachytherapy. During external beam radiation, a device sends high-beam rays into the body. Brachytherapy involves putting radioactive material inside the body near the source of the cancer.

Prevention

• There are a number of ways that people can prevent pancreatic cancer from developing. People who are most at risk for pancreatic cancer are those who smoke, are obese or overweight, have a family history of pancreatic cancer, have genes or medical conditions that make them more susceptible to cancer, are in their 70s or 80s and/or are black. People can lower their risk of getting the disease by quitting smoking and maintaining a healthy weight through diet and exercise. There are a number of substances that help people to quit smoking by controlling withdrawal symptoms, including nicotine gum, inhalers and patches and prescription pills. Those who are overweight or obese should try to lose a healthy amount of weight each week, which is about one or two pounds. It is possible to do this by eating a well-balanced diet, which should include a number of fruits, vegetables and whole grains, and exercising regularly. It is best to start out by doing aerobic exercises, such as walking, swimming or biking, for about 20 minutes every other day and work up to exercising for about 30 minutes, five days a week or more.