Pancreas Cancer

Often referred to as silent cancer, pancreatic cancer has little or vague symptoms in the early stages.

It is very important to suspect pancreatic cancer in patients

• who have pain in the upper part of the abdomen and pain in the upper part of the back and
• who are experiencing unexpected weight loss
• who are having indigestion
• who are having difficulty in taking solids
• who are having multiple episodes of vomiting
• who have been otherwise active and suddenly they start they start becoming lethargic.

Diagnosis of Pancreatic cancer

Many times what happens is ultrasound is done but ultrasound can miss pancreatic cancer because the pancreas is just at the bottom of the abdomen and ultrasounds are not able to visualize clearly the pancreatic mass.

If a patient who has been experiencing these particular symptoms, weight loss and suppression of appetite. It is very important that they after two or three weeks if they are not getting well, they should undergo an ultrasound and if required an endoscopy. And still if nothing is found then it is always productive to make the patient undergo a CT scan of the abdomen.

Treatment of Pancreatic cancer

Pancreatic cancer, unfortunately even today, more than 70 percent patients are by the time it is diagnosed, it cannot be operated upon.

Nowadays there’s an advancement in the treatment of pancreatic cancer and many more drugs have come up which are able to either reduce the size of the cancer and make it operable or even in patients who have advanced disease, they are now able to live longer with these medicines.

The two major types of surgery include potentially curative surgery and palliative surgery.

Curative Surgery

Studies have revealed that partially removing the affected parts of the pancreas and surrounding areas does not increase lifespan by a substantial amount. Hence, potentially curative surgery is recommended by surgeons only if it is established that the whole cancer can be removed. It is a very complex surgery and the recovery time is substantial. The possible benefits and risks need to be evaluated very carefully before going ahead with this form of treatment.

Palliative Surgery

If the surgeon finds that curative surgery might not be of help, especially if the cancer has spread too far to be completely removed, the next best option would be palliative surgery. As the name implies, the surgeon would opt for smaller operations aimed at relieving some of the symptoms, this would not cure the cancer as such but would help manage the symptoms.

Bile duct bypass surgery is an option if the tumor is blocking the common bile duct.

A stent is a thin metal tube that’s placed inside the blocked bile duct to open it up so that bile can drain. The bile may drain to the outside of the body, or into the small intestine. A stent can also be used to keep the small intestine open if the cancer is blocking it.

If pancreatic cancer is resectable, surgery followed by chemotherapy or radiation or both may extend survival.

What is advanced or metastatic pancreatic cancer

Advanced pancreatic cancer includes stage 3 and stage 4 and terminal cancer. Stage 3 includes when cancer spreads to other tissues in and around the ovary and / or lymph nodes. Stage 4 includes metastasis.

Metastasis happens when cancer cells break away from a primary tumor and enter the bloodstream or lymphatic system (the system that produces stores and carries the cells that fight infections). When cancer cells spread and form a new tumour in a different organ, the new tumor is a metastatic tumor, the cells of which come from the original tumor. The most common sites of metastasis from ovary cancer tumors are the liver, lungs, bones and brain. Cancer can spread to other parts of the body, too.

Some people with metastatic cancer do not have symptoms. Their metastases may be found by tests, which may be performed for other reasons such as PET, MRI or CT scan. When symptoms do occur, the type and frequency depend on the size and location of the metastasis. For example, cancer that spreads to the bones is likely to cause pain and can lead to bone fractures. Shortness of breath may be a sign of lung involvement.

Liver metastasis

If they do have symptoms, they may be vague and can include:

• Loss of appetite or feeling full early
• Fatigue
• Fever
• Itching
• Pain in the abdomen
• Swelling in the legs
• Weight loss
• Yellowing of the skin or whites of the eyes, called jaundice

Lung metastasis

Because the lungs get blood flow from the rest of the body, cancer can travel there from other organs. Cancer that has spread to the lungs often affects breathing.

Symptoms include:

• A cough that doesn’t go away
• Chest pain
• Blood in the mucus
• Trouble breathing
• Weight loss

Bone metastasis

When cancer travels to the bones, it can weaken them and cause them to release stored calcium. Symptoms include:

• Bone pain
• Constipation, nausea, and loss of appetite from high calcium levels in the blood
• Broken bones
• Numbness or weakness in the legs and possibly the arms
• Pain in the back or neck

Are you suffering from pain?

Any cancer has only 4 treatments. Surgery, chemotherapy, radiation and pain relief treatment / pain management.

What is the stage of cancer? Stage decides the treatment. All advanced cancers cannot be treated by chemotherapy and / or radiation therapy. Chemotherapy / radiation therapy may not benefit in stage 4 cancer. Recent research tells that unnecessary chemotherapy may reduce quality & life span too. Pain is the most common problem in stage 3 or 4. Please remember Pain definitely can be controlled or treated at any stage of cancer. Even if you are taking ayurvedic treatment for cancer or homeopathic treatment, it will not help in pain relief – You must take pain management treatment. Pain relief is important for continuing any treatment. Pain relief needs dedicated pain management treatment usually offered by Pain specialist doctors. In addition to best cancer specialist, ACCN is proud to have best pain specialist doctor in Delhi and in India. Pain management and cancer treatment goes side by side. Demand a pain free cancer treatment.

One must always remember that in stage 3 / stage 4 / terminal cancer – palliative care and pain relief treatment is usually the priority treatment so that pain relief continues at home too.  Pain free journey of cancer ie pain free cancer treatment helps in prolongation of life.

Advanced-Cancer Care Network, Delhi, India, with its branches (contact) at Delhi and Rohtak (Haryana) is a unique conglomeration of super-specialist doctors, who believe in well-being of human life.  ACCN is the most advanced centre for stage 3 cancer, stage 4 cancer, advanced stage cancer, terminal cancer, Cancer pain management and palliative care. It offers the unique and state-of-the-art treatment for pain relief and cancer treatment in India.

Click on Pain relief in pancreatic Cancer to know the best pain management methods at home for pancreatic cancer.

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Palliative care

Palliative care is designed to give symptomatic relief to the patient, control the side-effects of illness or treatment and improve quality of life of cancer patients. Palliative care treatment is provided by a medical specialist, other than oncosurgeon or oncologist. This medical specialist is known as “Pain & Palliative Care Specialist”. India has very limited number of such specialists and if you are also not able to find one for yourself, please contact ACCN (Advanced – Cancer Care Network), we are proud to have India”s best and most qualified Pain Specialists and Palliative Care Specialists.

Click on Understanding palliative care to know the palliative care treatment for stage 3 cancer or stage 4 cancer or advanced stage cervical cancer.

Role of Palliative Care Treatment

It is usually said that role of palliative care starts, when cancer becomes incurable or advanced stage or terminal or at end-of-life. It is one of the biggest myths in cancer treatment protocols. Palliative care specialist must be consulted and involved in the cancer treatment right from the first day when cancer is diagnosed and treatment is started. Initially when cancer is at stage 1 or 2, complete focus is on cancer cure and palliative care has minimal but very important role. As the cancer (if) progresses, gradually role of palliative care also enlarges. In stage 3 or stage 4. role of palliative care becomes much more important than other regular cancer treatments.

Click on How we can help to know about our various services for advanced cancer patients.

Click on Symptom control to understand that how we can provide suffering free life to advanced cancer patient.

Benefits of Palliative Care

• Makes patient feel better and stay active during treatment
• Manages side-effects of cancer treatment
• Facilitates as high a quality of life as possible
• Helps cancer treatments do a better job
• Can be curative as well as life-supporting treatment
• Cancer diet planning
• Improves survival outcomes
• Increases immunity levels
• Improves communication between patient and family members
• Maintains hope and stick to principals of ethics