Prognosis For Pancreatic Cancer

Prognosis for pancreatic cancer - The prognosis of life expectancy in pancreatic cancer depends on the moment of discovery of the disease. If the disease is detected at an early stage, the chance of a cure is generally greater. However, the symptoms of pancreatic cancer are not specific so that the disease is usually only discovered at a later stage. As a result, a number of treatment methods are mainly aimed at reducing the symptoms and not at healing.

What is pancreatic cancer?

Pancreatic cancer is a type of cancer that is located in the pancreas. The pancreas (or pancreas) is located in the abdominal cavity. This elongated gland makes enzymes and hormones necessary for our daily functioning. The enzymes are particularly involved in the digestion of food. The hormones influence the digestion and functioning of the intestines. For example, the pancreas also makes insulin, which is important in controlling blood sugar levels.



If you have pancreatic cancer, somewhere in that organ something went wrong in building new cells. They started to divide uncontrollably, causing a tumor or tumor to develop in the organ. These growths can be benign or malignant. Benign tumors do not grow through other tissues and are therefore relatively harmless. In malignant tumors, the cells can enter into surrounding tissues and organs. In this case, there is cancer. In the pancreas different types of cells occur, which can lead to different forms of cancer.

Cause of pancreatic cancer

The exact cause of pancreatic cancer cannot be indicated. However, a number of risk factors are known that may play a role in the development of cancer of the pancreas.

• Smoking.
• A chronic inflammation of the pancreas.
• Hereditary predisposition.
• Age: especially the elderly have a higher risk of pancreatic cancer. 

Symptoms of pancreatic cancer

Symptoms of pancreatic cancer generally only occur when the cancer has also affected surrounding tissues. You can think of the liver, gallbladder and bile ducts. It is therefore also dependent on the tumor and its location of which symptoms you suffer. Common symptoms of cancer of the pancreas are:

• A nagging pain above or in the middle of the abdomen or back.
• A disrupted relief pattern.
• Less appetite.
• Weight loss.
• Jaundice (when the bile ducts are closed).
• Fatigue and lethargy (when the bile ducts are closed).
• Dark urine (if the bile ducts are closed).

It is important to remember that these symptoms can also be related to other conditions than pancreatic cancer. For jaundice, it is important to contact your doctor. If the other symptoms persist, contact with the GP is also advisable.



Diagnosis of pancreatic cancer

If the GP suspects that there is pancreatic cancer, he will send you to the hospital. The specialist in the hospital will do a physical examination and can also use:

• Ultrasound: In ultrasound, tissues and organs in the body are visualized by means of sound waves. A tumor or tumor can thus be visualized. 
• CT scan: During a CT scan, an image is made of organs and tissues using a computer and X-rays. Contrast fluid is often used to make the image even clearer. Tumors or tumors can be made visible on the image.
• ERCP-research: The so-called endoscopic retrograde cholangio-pancreaticagrafion study. This examination takes place with the help of an X-ray machine and a tube with a camera attached. By inserting the tube and camera through the mouth, the bile ducts and drainage pathways of the pancreas can be visualized. 

If the specialist has found that there is pancreatic cancer, it will be looked at what stage the cancer is located. This affects the treatment.

*Image source : WebMD

References :

1. National Cancer Institute
2. Gezondheidsplein
3. American Cancer Society