Pancreatic cancer begins when abnormal cells in the pancreas grow and divide out of control and form a tumor. The pancreas is a gland located behind the stomach and in front of the spine. The pancreas produces digestive juices and hormones that regulate blood sugar. Cells called exocrine pancreas cells produce the digestive juices, while cells called endocrine pancreas cells produce the hormones. The majority of pancreatic cancers start in the exocrine cells.
Changes in your DNA cause cancer. These can be inherited from your parents or can arise over time. The changes that arise over time can happen because you were exposed to something harmful. They can also happen randomly.
Pancreatic cancer’s exact causes are not well understood. About 10% of pancreatic cancers are considered familial or hereditary. Most pancreatic cancer happens randomly or is caused by things such as smoking, obesity and age. A person may also be more likely to get pancreatic cancer because of:
Pancreatic cancer may cause only vague, unexplained symptoms, such as:
Pancreatic cancer treatment depends on the stage of the disease and the patient’s general health. Patients may get standard (approved) treatments or take part in clinical trials. Standard treatments are surgery, chemotherapy and radiation. Clinical trials study new treatments. The Pancreatic Cancer Action Network strongly recommends clinical trials at diagnosis and during every treatment decision.
Surgery offers the best chance of controlling pancreatic cancer for a long time. But, most patients are diagnosed at later stages and are not eligible for surgery. Tests to find pancreatic cancer in the earliest stages are urgently needed.
In operable patients a complex surgery called as the Whipples procedure or Pancreaticoduodenectomy is done
This is a major abdominal surgery, with inherent risks and complications. But a surgical gastroenterologist who has proper training should be able to give good results. In patients who have an advanced disease can benefit for palliative procedures like ERCP and stenting, or Surgical Bypass procedures.