Pancreatic cancer is the 5th leading cause of death from cancer and the 11th most common - PowerPoint Presentation

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Pancreatic cancer is the 5th leading cause of death from cancer and the 11th most common cancer in the United States.

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PANCREATIC CANCER

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PANCREATIC CANCER

Each year 24,000 people die of pancreatic cancer in this country. Relatively few risk factors are known for cancer of the pancreas. The incidence is higher among men than women, and blacks have a noticeably higher rate than whites

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SECTION 1

ABOUT PANCREATIC CANCER

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SPLEEN

PANCREAS

GALL BLADDER

PANCREATIC CANCER

101

Your pancreas is about 6 inches long and looks something like a pear lying on its side. It secretes hormones, including insulin, to help your body process sugar in the foods you eat. And it produces digestive juices to help you digest food.

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SPLEEN

PANCREAS

GALL BLADDER

PANCREATIC CANCER

101

Pancreatic cancer often goes undetected until it’s advanced and difficult to treat. In the vast majority of cases, symptoms only develop after pancreatic cancer has grown and begun to spread. Because more than 95% of pancreatic cancer is the exocrine type, we’ll describe those symptoms first, followed by symptoms of rare forms of pancreatic cancer.

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SECTION 2

SYMPTOMS,

CAUSES, RISK FACTORS AND PREVENTION

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Pancreatic Cancer Symptoms:

Location Matters

Initially, pancreatic cancer tends to be silent and painless as it grows. By the time it’s large enough to cause symptoms, pancreatic cancer has generally grown outside the pancreas. Because of the location of the pancreas in the body, symptoms include…

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Jaundice:

As pancreatic cancer blocks duct that releases bile into the intestine (common bile duct), the ingredients of bile build up in the blood. This turns the skin and the eyes yellow, a condition called jaundice. The same blockage causes dark urine, light colored stools, and itching.

Abdominal pain:

Pancreatic cancer can cause a dull ache in the upper abdomen radiating to the back. The pain may come and go.

Back pain

NauseaBloating:

Some people with pancreatic cancer have a sense of early fullness with meals (satiety) or an uncomfortable swelling in the abdomen.

Vomiting

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Pancreatic Cancer Symptoms:

Location Matters

In general, symptoms appear earlier from cancers in the head of the pancreas, compared to those in the body and tail. Keep in mind that having any or all of these symptoms doesn’t mean a person has pancreatic cancer. There are many other causes for these types of symptoms.

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Pancreatic Cancer

Whole Body Symptoms:

As it grows and spreads, pancreatic cancer affects the whole body. Such symptoms can include…

Elevated blood sugars:

Some people with pancreatic cancer develop diabetes as the cancer impairs the pancreas’ ability to produce insulin. (However, the vast majority of people with a new diagnosis of diabetes do not have pancreatic cancer.)

Weight loss

Malaise

Loss of appetite

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Symptoms of Rare

Pancreatic Cancers:

Islet cell tumors, also called neuroendocrine tumors, arise from the cells in the pancreas that make hormones. Islet cell tumors account for less than 5% of all pancreas tumors. Like pancreatic adenocarcinoma, islet cell tumors may cause abdominal pain, weight loss, nausea, and vomiting. Hormones released by an islet cell tumor can also cause symptoms:

Insulinomas:

(excess insulin) sweating, anxiety, lightheadedness, and fainting from low blood sugar

Glucagomus:(excess glucagon): diarrhea, excessive thirst or urination, weight loss

Somatoststinomas:

(excess somatostatin): diarrhea, weight loss, abdominal pain, foul-smelling fatty stools

VIPomas:

(excess vasoactive intestinal peptide): watery diarrhea, abdominal cramping, facial flushing

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Pancreatic Cancer

Causes:

It’s not clear what causes pancreatic cancer in most cases. Doctors have identified factors, such as smoking, that increase your risk of developing the disease.

Symptoms

Signs and symptoms of pancreatic cancer often don’t occur until the disease is advanced.

They may include:

– Pain in the upper abdomen that radiates to your back

– Loss of appetite or unintended weight loss

– Depression

– New-onset diabetes

– Blood clots

– Fatigue

– Yellowing of your skin and the whites of your eyes (jaundice)

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How Pancreatic Cancer Forms:

Pancreatic cancer occurs when cells in your pancreas develop mutations in their DNA. These mutations cause cells to grow uncontrollably and to continue living after normal cells would die. These accumulating cells can form a tumor. Untreated pancreatic cancer spreads to nearby organs and blood vessels

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Pancreatic Cancer

Risk Factors:

Factors that may increase your risk of pancreatic cancer include:

– Chronic inflammation of the pancreas (pancreatitis)

– Diabetes– Family history of genetic syndromes that can increase cancer risk, including a

BRCA2 gene mutation, Lynch syndrome and familial atypical mole-malignant melanoma (FAMMM) syndromeA large study demonstrated that the combination of smoking, long-standing diabetes and a poor diet increases the risk of pancreatic cancer beyond the risk of any one of these factors alone.

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Family History of

Pancreatic Cancer

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– Smoking– Obesity

– Older age, as most people are diagnosed after age 65A large study demonstrated that the combination of smoking, long-standing diabetes and a poor diet increases the risk of pancreatic cancer beyond the risk of any one of these factors alone.

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Pancreatic Cancer

Prevention:

Stop smoking:

If you smoke, try to stop. Talk to your doctor about strategies to help you stop, including support groups, medications and nicotine replacement therapy.

Maintain a healthy weight: If you are at a healthy weight, work to maintain it. If you need to lose weight, aim for a slow, steady weight loss — 1 to 2 pounds (0.5 to 1 kilogram) a week. Combine daily exercise with a diet rich in vegetables, fruit and whole grains with smaller portions to help you lose weight.

Choose a healthy diet

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A diet full of colorful fruits and vegetables and whole grains may help reduce your risk of cancer

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Consider meeting with a genetic counselor

if you have a family history of pancreatic cancer. He or she can review your family health history with you and determine whether you might benefit from a genetic test to understand your risk of pancreatic cancer or other cancers.

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SECTION 3

Early Detection

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Pancreatic Cancer

Early Detection:

Pancreatic cancer is difficult to diagnose in its early stages. Currently there is no agreed upon screening test for the general population; however, some protocols for those at high risk have been established.

Previous pancreatic cancer diagnoses in family

Chronic pancreatitis

DiabetesBlood marker CA 19-9

Recent research interest in MicroRNAs (small molecules involved in genetic regulation)

Developments in latest detection details on

Pancreatica

Blog pancreatica.org

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https://pancreatica.org/pancreatic-cancer/pancreatic-cancer-screening-tests-markers/

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SECTION 4

Treatment for Pancreatic Cancer

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Five types of standard treatment

1. Surgery

Whipple procedure-

removal of pancreas head, the gallbladder, part of the stomach, part of the small intestine, the bile duct; enough of the pancreas is left to produce digestive juices and insulin

Total pancreatectomy-

removal of pancreas and part of stomach

Distal pancreatectomy-

removal of the body and the tail of the pancreas; the spleen may also be removed

Biliary bypass-

reconstruction of blocked bile duct

Endoscopic stent replacement-

placement of thin tube to drain blocked area of bile duct

Gastric bypass -

connection of stomach directly to the small intestine to bypass the blockage

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2. Radiation Therapy (Two Types)

External-

machine outside the body sends radiation to cancer cells

Internal-

radioactive substances sealed in needles, seeds, wires, or catheters placed directly into or near the cancer cells

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3. Chemotherapy

Systemic chemotherapy-

drugs enter bloodstream and reach cancer cells throughout the body

Regional chemotherapy-

drugs placed directly into cerebrospinal fluid, an organ, or a body cavity Combination chemotherapy-

uses more than one anti-cancer drug

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Uses drugs to stop growth of cancer cells, either by killing the cells or by stopping them from dividing

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4. Chemoradiation Therapy

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Combines chemotherapy and radiation therapy to increase effects of both

5. Targeted Therapy

Uses drugs or other substances to identify and attack specific cancer cells without harming normal cells

Tyrosine kinase inhibitors-

(TKIs) block signals needed for tumors to grow

Erlotinib-

(TKI) used to treat pancreatic cancer

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Additional treatments:

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Clinical Trial-

Uses a scientific study to research the effects of a new treatment and how well it works, evaluating whether one treatment is better than another.

• Based on past studies and laboratory results

• Establishes possible new “standard”

• May be available before, during, or after starting cancer treatment

• May be the best treatment choice for some patient Biologic therapy

Biologic therapy-

Uses the patient’s immune system to fight cancer

Substances made by the body or made in a laboratory are used to boost, direct, or restore the body’s natural defenses against cancer.

https://www.cancer.gov/types/pancreatic/patient/pancreatic-treatment-pdq

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SECTION 5

Living after Treatment for Pancreatic Cancer

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Follow Up to Treatment

Doctor visits and tests - a “Survivorship Care Plan”

Schedule for follow-up exams and tests

List of possible late or long-term side effects from treatment

Schedule for other tests that may be needed

Suggestions to improve health

Health insurance

Copies of medical records

Nutrition and nutritional supplements

Exercise plan

Pain management

Emotional support

https://www.cancer.org/cancer/pancreatic-cancer/after-treatment/follow-up.html

In some cases treatment can remove or destroy the pancreatic cancer. In many cases pancreatic cancer might never go away completely.