Pancreatic Cancer

1) Localization:
the pancreas is a gland that makes insulin and hormones, plus digestive enzymes. Pancreatic cancer develops from the ducts carrying the digestive juices. The organ is described as having three parts: head, body and tail of pancreas.

Cancer spreads from lymph nodes to liver, lungs, peritoneum. 32 000 cases per year in the US , with poor prognosis, because of late discovery and very difficult surgical access.

2) Risk factors of pancreatic cancer:
- some food factors, such as sugar, coffee abuse;
- favoured with tobacco, diabetes, often preceded by chronic pancreatitis;
- more men than women are concerned (2 to 1); the mean age is 65; African Americans more than Asians
or whites.

3) Growth:
pancreatic cancer is often associated with stomach cancer, the proximity of these organs making it difficult to establish the original cancer.

4) Symptoms:
- the most frequent sign is jaundice, caused by compression of the bile duct which crosses the pancreas: dark
urine, yellow skin, yellow eyes, pale stool, itching;
- weakness, weight loss, nausea;
- stabbing pains in across the upper abdomen.

5) Diagnosis of pancreatic cancer:
- clinical exam: signs for jaundice, liver cirrhosis;
- transabdominal ultrasound; endoscopy; retrograde cholangiopancreatography, with biopsies; scanner.
- the tumor marker assays: CEA , CA 19-9.

6) Treatment:
- surgery: depending on the localization on the pancreas, the size, the stage. The head of pancreas can be removed, part of small intestine, stomach, gallbladder, spleen. This is a major operation and very delicate surgery, that can be attempted if the tumor is resectable and if there are no metastases.
- radiation and chemotherapy, in cases of non resectable tumors, can lead to some remissions.

7) Follow-up:
using the tumor marker dosages.

8) Prevention:
- diabetes appropriate monitoring;
- no-tobacco use (once again);
- tumor marker test.


The above-mentioned tumor markers are part of the Biomarkers C12 test; performing this panel once a year is highly recommended.

Cancer can be detected : do it NOW.