Cancer is enough to strike fear into the hearts of many people. However, it becomes even more terrifying when that cancer becomes harder to detect, such as pancreatic cancer, a type that will often only be identified in its later stages.
Why is that so? Why would pancreatic cancer be harder to detect than other types of cancer? For starters, the pancreas is hidden deep within the body, so it would be trickier to examine during routine checkups. Furthermore, cancer will only begin to be detectable when it has already spread to other parts of the other, or in other words, when it has already reached a deadlier stage.
But before we get into its signs and symptoms, let’s know more about the organ.
What is the pancreas? Why is this organ an important part of the body?
The pancreas has two main functions; it produces hormones that control glucose metabolism, and it plays a vital role in producing enzymes that the body needs to digest fat, protein, and carbohydrates.
Though difficult to diagnose, it is not impossible for you to possibly identify if you have pancreatic cancer. If you are properly educated about the signs and symptoms of pancreatic cancer, you may be able to identify it early enough to prevent it from progressing to a more lethal stage.
Signs and Symptoms of Pancreatic Cancer
- Jaundice (when the skin and whites of the eyes form a yellow tinge)
- Light-colored stools
- Dark-colored urine
- Abdominal pain
- Sudden weight loss
- Appetite loss
- Fatigue and quick exhaustion
- Itchy skin
- Nausea and vomiting.
Cause of Pancreatic Cancer
One of the significant reasons why pancreatic cancer is as deadly as it is is because there is no clear reason as to why it happens. This becomes a huge bump in the road when it comes to researching a cure and administering treatment. However, pancreatic cancer clinical trials at Power have been able to identify risk factors that have been linked to many cases.
Risk factors
- Tobacco use is a major risk factor for pancreatic cancer, with risks increasing by up to 35% if you regularly smoke.
- Excessive alcohol consumption leads to a lot of complications with your pancreas, and it is recommended that you should limit your consumption to 2 glasses per day.
- Obesity, particularly at an early stage of life.
- An unhealthy diet such as processed meats, food high in cholesterol, and overconsumption of sugars/
- Though reasons remain unsure, males are more likely to have pancreatic cancer than females.
- Harmful work environments that expose you to chemicals have been shown to increase pancreatic cancer risk by up to 12%.
- People between the ages of 65-74 are most susceptible to pancreatic cancer.
- Diabetes patients are more at risk of getting this cancer.
- A 2018 research found that race could factor up to pancreatic cancer risk, with black people more likely to develop it.
- Family history can be a factor in pancreatic cancer, with risks increasing by 10% if you have a member in your family that previously had pancreatic cancer.
Treatment of Pancreatic Cancer
Treating pancreatic cancer is just as tricky as any other cancer, and it entails destroying the cancer cells before it spreads further within the body. The main difference between pancreatic cancer is that cancer has an evasive behavior, making it more resilient when it comes to treatment. Furthermore, the tumors that form in cancerous areas are likely to be entangled, so surgical remedies become more difficult to perform.
All of these lead to a lack of breakthroughs when it comes to an actual cure, as well as a higher mortality rate. Despite that, it is important to note that there are multiple methods that can be used when dealing with pancreatic cancer.
The main treatment options include:
- Surgery is a remedy that will only suit the early stages of cancer. As this procedure will only remove the tumor and the parts that will spread to other parts of the body, this will usually work if the cancer is detected early.
- Radiation therapy is a method that involves using high-energy beams to eliminate cancer cells.
- Chemotherapy is a procedure that focuses on preventing cancer from spreading to other parts of the body with anti-cancer medicine.
- Targeted therapy involves using specific antibodies to target malignant cells.
- Personal effort should also be noted if you want a healthy pancreas. And to do so, one needs to keep a low-fat diet, exercise regularly, and consume antioxidants such as vitamin E and C.
A mix of all treatment methods is highly common, as cancer will most likely demand enough of the body that treatment can only do so much as catch up. Pain relief and management are the main focus in the later stages of cancer.
Cancer demands a lot from the victim, the victim’s family, and even the professionals working to cure it. Finding the identifiers that you may have is the least that we can do because if we are too careless, then it may already be too late by the time the news is given to us. After all, cancer can happen to anyone, so everyone should be aware of its symptoms of it.