Pancreatic Cancer Whipple

The pancreas is a spongy, tube-shaped organ about 6 inches long. It is located at the rear of the abdomen, behind the stomach. The head of the pancreas is on the right side of the abdomen. It is connected to the duodenum, the upper end of the small intestine. The narrow end of the pancreas, called the tail, extends on the left side of the body.

Pancreatic cancer is one of the most serious of cancers. It develops when cancerous cells form in the tissues of your pancreas - a large organ that lies horizontally behind the lower part of the stomach. Your pancreas secretes enzymes that aid digestion and hormones that help regulate the metabolism of carbohydrates.

Pancreatic cancer is a malignant tumor of the pancreas. Each year, approximately 33,000 people in the United States are diagnosed with this disease, and 60,000 in Europe. Depending on the extent of the tumor at diagnosis, the prognosis is generally considered poor, with few victims still alive five years after diagnosis, and complete remission still extremely rare

Signs and symptoms of pancreatic cancer

Loss of appetite and unintended weight loss. unintentional weight loss is a common sign of pancreatic cancer. Weight loss occurs in most types of cancer because cancerous (malignant) cells deprive healthy cells of nutrients, and this is especially true in pancreatic cancer.

As the cancer grows and spreads, pain often develops in the upper abdomen and sometimes spreads to the rear. The pain may worsen after the person eats or lies down. Pancreatic cancer can also cause nausea, loss of appetite, weight loss, and weakness.

Jaundice is caused by a buildup of bilirubin (a substance produced in the liver) that causes a yellowing of the skin and whites of the eyes. Jaundice may also cause brown urine and clay-colored stools. It is important to note that the jaundice may be caused by a number of less dangerous conditions such as anemia.

The symptoms of pancreatic cancer are generally vague and can easily be attributed to other less severe and more frequent. This lack of specific symptoms explains the high number of people who have a more advanced stage of disease when pancreatic cancer is discovered.

Treatment for pancreatic cancer

Radiation therapy uses high-energy X-rays to destroy cancer cells. You may receive radiation therapy before or after cancer surgery, often in combination with chemotherapy. Or, your doctor may recommend a combination of radiotherapy and chemotherapy if your cancer can be treated surgically.

The surgery can be done to remove all or part of the pancreas. It is sometimes necessary to remove a portion of the stomach, duodenum, and other surrounding tissue. This operation is called a Whipple procedure. If pancreatic cancer can not be removed, the surgeon may be able to create a bypass of the bile duct or duodenum if either is blocked.

Endoscopic stenting: a stent (flexible tube) is placed in the bile duct to drain bile into the small intestine or outside the organization as needed. This is done when the tumor blocks the bile duct and there is an accumulation of bile to prevent further build up.

Chemotherapy drugs kill cancer cells but also damage normal cells. This may cause side effects, which depend on the type of medication, amount taken and the duration of treatment. short-term side effects may include nausea and vomiting, loss of appetite, hair loss and mouth sores. Because chemotherapy can damage the bone marrow, where new blood cells are made, the number of cells could be low.