Pancreatic cancer
Unique offer only for AMS patients
Special prices. Individual approach. Urgent treatment plan.
Pancreatic cancer is a malignant neoplasm that develops from exocrine cells. Men are more susceptible to this disease and it is less common than cancer of other digestive organs. However, due to its aggressiveness, it requires immediate and comprehensive treatment.
Pancreatic cancer is considered one of the most dangerous oncological diseases. It is asymptomatic for a long time, and when detected, it is often incurable. This confirms the need for regular check-ups and examinations to detect the disease at an early stage.
The tumor most often occurs in people over 60 years of age and in the vast majority of cases affects only the head of the gland. In less than 30% of cases, the entire gland is affected.
In terms of incidence, pancreatic cancer is the sixth most common cancer in the world among adult patients. Mortality reaches 7% of all types of cancer. When the first symptoms are detected, it is necessary to contact a specialist for diagnosis and treatment.
Risk factors and symptoms of pancreatic cancer
Approximately one third of cases are caused by smoking. Nicotine addiction increases the risk of developing pancreatic cancer by two times. In 20% of cases, carcinoma is caused by alcohol abuse, as well as a lack of fresh vegetables and fruits in the diet.
People with diabetes are at increased risk. Their chances of getting pancreatic cancer are doubled. In 5-10% of cases, the disease is hereditary and is caused by a relative having non-polyposis colorectal cancer, adenomatous polyposis or Hippel-Lindau syndrome.
In rarer cases, the cancer is triggered by chronic pancreatitis in the patient. The study of other risk factors is ongoing.
In the early stages, pancreatic cancer either does not manifest symptoms or produces symptoms similar to common diseases. Patients feel weakness, bloating, and sometimes complain of constipation.
More vivid symptoms appear as the cancer progresses. These are pain and yellowing of the skin. They occur sooner or later in 90% of all patients. The pain is most often localized in the back or in the upper left part of the abdomen.
As cancer progresses, the patient begins to rapidly lose weight, although appetite remains at a normal level. Weight loss is caused by steatorrhea - fatty excrements, when a large amount of fatty acids comes out with feces. At the same time, nausea and vomiting often occur. Over time, about 50% of patients complain of loss of appetite. This is caused by compression of the duodenum and stomach.
Diagnosis and treatment of the disease
Because of its mostly late detection, pancreatic cancer treatment is often difficult. Humanitas specialists use the most effective methods: surgery, radiotherapy, chemotherapy and hormonal therapy. But even so, the prognosis at late stages is not always favorable.
Initially, each patient undergoes a thorough examination:
biochemical blood test;
ultrasound examination;
cholangiography and angiography;
computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging;
biopsy of tumor tissue.
The complex of studies allows us to accurately detect the tumor, its size and location, study its tissues under a microscope, confirm the presence of cancer cells and, most importantly, develop an individual treatment program for a specific patient depending on the specifics of the disease in his case.
Pancreatic tumors are operable in 10-15% of cases. Surgery can only be performed if the following conditions are met:
the tumor has not grown into other human organs;
no metastases;
the patient's condition will allow him to undergo a complex operation.
Operable patients are usually young. During the operation, part of the pancreas (or the entire organ) is removed. In some cases, along with part of the stomach, bile duct, duodenum and regional lymph nodes.
Chemotherapy is not as effective as for other types of cancer, but together with radiation therapy it can prolong life and improve the patient's well-being. Hormonal therapy is more effective.
Radiation therapy is most often given after surgery to kill any remaining cancer cells. Less commonly, radiation therapy is given before surgery to make it easier for the surgeon to remove the tumor.
Despite the low five-year survival rate, patients can be helped even at late stages. The main thing is that qualified specialists perform the treatment and use the latest methods to achieve the best results. And the Humanitas clinic is one of the leading Italian medical institutions, where diagnostics and treatment are carried out at the highest level.
Pancreatic cancer is considered one of the most dangerous oncological diseases. It is asymptomatic for a long time, and when detected, it is often incurable. This confirms the need for regular check-ups and examinations to detect the disease at an early stage.
The tumor most often occurs in people over 60 years of age and in the vast majority of cases affects only the head of the gland. In less than 30% of cases, the entire gland is affected.
In terms of incidence, pancreatic cancer is the sixth most common cancer in the world among adult patients. Mortality reaches 7% of all types of cancer. When the first symptoms are detected, it is necessary to contact a specialist for diagnosis and treatment.
Risk factors and symptoms of pancreatic cancer
Approximately one third of cases are caused by smoking. Nicotine addiction increases the risk of developing pancreatic cancer by two times. In 20% of cases, carcinoma is caused by alcohol abuse, as well as a lack of fresh vegetables and fruits in the diet.
People with diabetes are at increased risk. Their chances of getting pancreatic cancer are doubled. In 5-10% of cases, the disease is hereditary and is caused by a relative having non-polyposis colorectal cancer, adenomatous polyposis or Hippel-Lindau syndrome.
In rarer cases, the cancer is triggered by chronic pancreatitis in the patient. The study of other risk factors is ongoing.
In the early stages, pancreatic cancer either does not manifest symptoms or produces symptoms similar to common diseases. Patients feel weakness, bloating, and sometimes complain of constipation.
More vivid symptoms appear as the cancer progresses. These are pain and yellowing of the skin. They occur sooner or later in 90% of all patients. The pain is most often localized in the back or in the upper left part of the abdomen.
As cancer progresses, the patient begins to rapidly lose weight, although appetite remains at a normal level. Weight loss is caused by steatorrhea - fatty excrements, when a large amount of fatty acids comes out with feces. At the same time, nausea and vomiting often occur. Over time, about 50% of patients complain of loss of appetite. This is caused by compression of the duodenum and stomach.
Diagnosis and treatment of the disease
Because of its mostly late detection, pancreatic cancer treatment is often difficult. Humanitas specialists use the most effective methods: surgery, radiotherapy, chemotherapy and hormonal therapy. But even so, the prognosis at late stages is not always favorable.
Initially, each patient undergoes a thorough examination:
biochemical blood test;
ultrasound examination;
cholangiography and angiography;
computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging;
biopsy of tumor tissue.
The complex of studies allows us to accurately detect the tumor, its size and location, study its tissues under a microscope, confirm the presence of cancer cells and, most importantly, develop an individual treatment program for a specific patient depending on the specifics of the disease in his case.
Pancreatic tumors are operable in 10-15% of cases. Surgery can only be performed if the following conditions are met:
the tumor has not grown into other human organs;
no metastases;
the patient's condition will allow him to undergo a complex operation.
Operable patients are usually young. During the operation, part of the pancreas (or the entire organ) is removed. In some cases, along with part of the stomach, bile duct, duodenum and regional lymph nodes.
Chemotherapy is not as effective as for other types of cancer, but together with radiation therapy it can prolong life and improve the patient's well-being. Hormonal therapy is more effective.
Radiation therapy is most often given after surgery to kill any remaining cancer cells. Less commonly, radiation therapy is given before surgery to make it easier for the surgeon to remove the tumor.
Despite the low five-year survival rate, patients can be helped even at late stages. The main thing is that qualified specialists perform the treatment and use the latest methods to achieve the best results. And the Humanitas clinic is one of the leading Italian medical institutions, where diagnostics and treatment are carried out at the highest level.