Cancer of the Pancreas

What is Cancer of the Pancreas?

Cancer of the pancreas is a malignancy arising from the small abdominal organ located behind the stomach and transverses the colon. It is the fourth most common cause of death due to cancer because it grows and spreads rapidly to other organs within months. 

How do you know if you have Cancer of the Pancreas?

This cancer can be described as a silent killer as does not become obviously symptomatic until very late, especially those located in the body and tail of the pancreas.  A tolerable, dull, progressive, persistent, pain at the epigastric area (upper central area of the abdomen), associated with unexplained weight loss and unintended declining appetite are some of its symptoms.

One of the common presentations is jaundice – the yellowish discoloration of the sclerae or white portion of the eyes – with passage of tea-colored urine and whitish-gray colored stools.  Abdominal pain is NOT prominent. 

Who are at risk of developing Cancer of the Pancreas?

Those who have at least one first-degree relative who has cancer of the pancreas and those who have a chronic history of heavy smoking (more than 15 years, 1 pack per day) are at risk of developing cancer of the pancreas.  

What happens when you have Cancer of the Pancreas?

The usual general symptoms are vague upper abdominal pain, loss of appetite and unexplained or unintended weight loss. If the tumor is located in the head part of the Pancreas, patients usually become jaundiced. Mid back pain is a late symptom.

If left untreated, the prognosis of patients with Pancreatic Cancer worsen if the cancer spreads to the liver, lungs, bone and in rare instances, brain.

How is Cancer of the Pancreas diagnosed?

Cancer of the pancreas is diagnosed through:

• CT-Scan or Endoscopic Ultrasound 
• Abdominal Ultrasound may determine a suspicious mass in the pancreas. 

When / who do you consult?

Consult a Hepatopancreatobiliary (HPB) surgeon or a gastroenterologist if you are around 40 years old and you experience subtle symptoms, and more so, if you have a first-degree relative who has been diagnosed with cancer of the pancreas. Subtle symptoms are vague upper abdominal pain that is usually mistaken to be due to acid peptic, dyspepsia and gastritis. Tumors located in the body and tail parts of the Pancreas are virtually without symptoms except for a dull but progressive pain accompanied by weight and appetite loss.

What are the available treatment options?

The management of pancreatic cancer is almost always multidisciplinary. Surgery is the BEST way to cure it while chemotherapy and radiotherapy are adjuvant treatment options. In cases where surgery is not the primary option, procedures done by interventional radiologists and gastroenterologists such as stenting, decompression, and other non-surgical procedures may be done.

What are the possible complications of surgery?

The most common complications of surgical treatment of pancreatic cancer are:

• Bleeding
• Leaks in the surgical site
• Intestinal obstruction
• Pancreatitis (inflammation of the Pancreas) due to surgical trauma

What are the related services available at The Medical City (TMC)?

The Augusto P. Sarmiento Cancer Institute Pancreatic Cancer Program of The Medical City delivers a highly competent, multidisciplinary approach to the management and care of patients with pancreatic cancer.

Early detection by screening at-risk individuals, early diagnosis using the CT-scan pancreas protocol or endoscopic ultrasound without biopsy, definitive treatment, neo- and adjuvant treatment, surveillance, rehabilitation, and nutritional support are some of the major services offered.

For inquiries, you may call:

AUGUSTO P. SARMIENTO CANCER INSTITUTE

8/F Nursing Tower 2, The Medical City

Tel. No.: (+632) 988-1000 / (+632) 988-7000 Ext. 6214

References:

The Medical City Department of Surgery Section of Hepatopancreatoniliary Surgery