1. The Promise of Early Detection
Doctors usually don't diagnose pancreatic cancer until the disease is advanced, which reduces the chances of a cure. However, researchers identified 10 tumor markers in the blood that are very sensitive to the presence of pancreatic cancer. In some cases, the tumor manufactured these substances, and in other cases, the body makes these substances as a reaction to the presence of pancreatic cancer. When researchers compared 400 healthy people with 100 pancreatic cancer patients, the researchers correctly identified the cancer patients 97 percent of the time. Ask your doctor whether a tumor marker test is right for you.
2. Another Demerit for Smoking
Most people know smoking cigarettes is a leading risk factor for lung cancer. However, smoking is also implicated as a major risk factor for pancreatic cancer. Taking positive steps to prevent this cancer is important, as pancreatic cancer is very difficult to cure with current standard treatment approaches. If you're a smoker with Type 2 diabetes, make quitting number one on your to-do list. Studies show smokers with high insulin levels are twice as likely to get pancreatic cancer as smokers with normal insulin levels.
3. The Silent Disease
Pancreatic cancer often grows undetected in the early stages of the disease. However, if you're experiencing upper abdominal pain, yellowing of the skin, weight loss for no known reason and fatigue, make an appointment with your doctor. Several tests are needed to make a diagnosis of pancreatic cancer. You can receive an ultrasound to produce pictures of the area around the pancreas. The doctor can do this with a machine outside the body or by passing a thin tube down the throat, through the stomach and into the intestine. The doctor can also use this tube to remove tissue for examination under a microscope.
4. Treatment Goals Vary
There are treatment options for all patients with pancreatic cancer. Some patients receive treatment to reduce symptoms and extend their lives. Patients with early-stage pancreatic cancer may have treatment to attempt to cure the disease. Doctors treat pancreatic cancer with surgery, radiation therapy and chemotherapy drugs. Patients can also ask their doctors about research studies evaluating new treatment approaches.
5. Improve Your Quality of Life
Pancreatic cancer patients often experience a great deal of physical pain. You can make an appointment with a doctor who specializes in cancer pain control to explore medicinal or surgical options to improve your quality of life. In addition to pain medicines like narcotics, doctors can deaden the nerves around the tumor, either by cutting them during surgery or by injecting alcohol around them.
