About Pancreatic Cancer
It is important to learn about pancreatic cancer if you have recently received a diagnosis of the disease. It is also valuable to become knowledgeable on the subject in order to prevent the disease and recognize its symptoms. In the United States alone, in the year 2002, studies found that 30,300 people received the diagnosis of pancreatic cancer. Sadly, a stunning 29,700 people of that population died from the disease. In Canada and the United States, pancreatic cancer is the fourth leading cause of deaths related to cancer. And as with most degenerative disease such as cancer, the incidence of pancreatic cancer increases as one ages. Researchers have found the peak incidence of the condition to occur between the ages of 65 and 80 years.
Pancreatic cancer results from tumors on the pancreas's surface or within its ducts. Most such tumors are called adenocarcinomas. Adeno- refers to the pancreas's glandular nature. Adenocarcinomas arise from the epithelium, or upper layer of tissue, of the pancreas's duct system. The pancreatic duct, also known as the duct of Wirsung, stretches the length of the pancreas's body and connects to the duodenum's (part of the small intestine) second section. This connection is called the ampulla of Vater. Another duct called the common bile duct normally meets the pancreatic duct around this location. In addition, many people sport an accessory duct called the duct of Santorini. This duct reaches from the main duct to a part of the duodenum near the pancreas's tail.
Over fifty percent of all adenocarcinomas originated in the upper section, or head, of the pancreas. This leads to one of the most common signs of pancreatic tumors: jaundice. This occurs when the tumor's size increases; it expands to block the common bile duct. Jaundice results from the buildup of bile, called bilirubin. The bile pigment enters the blood, where it then colors skin and eyes a yellow hue.
However, if the tumor occurs in the body or tail of the pancreas, it can grow without any symptoms other than occasional abdominal pain and decreased appetite. And even when these symptoms appear, they only occur after the growth is well advanced. Also, they have usually metastasized, or spread, to other organs by the time they are finally diagnosed. When learning about pancreatic cancer, one must be aware of the disease's prognosis. Unfortunately, the survival rate of pancreatic cancer sufferers is not good. Most patients with the disease die 5 to 12 months after cancer is first diagnosed. The five-year rate of survival is no better at 19%. But the prognosis changes with the tumor's location, due in large part to the symptoms caused by the tumor and the growth's operability. Radical surgeries such as Whipple's procedure, where most of the pancreas and much of the surrounding organs are removed, are the most effective treatment for pancreatic cancer. Radiation and chemotherapy, however, do little to increase survival rates. Radiation does lessen the cancer-related symptoms. Though the cause of pancreatic cancer is still unknown, you can take action to prevent it. A healthy diet (low fat, high fiber) and lifestyle, along with no smoking, go a long way in preventing tumors. In the end, learning about pancreatic cancer, its causes, and its symptoms is the most important weapon in the battle against the deadly disease.
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