Pancreatic cancer is a relatively aggressive form of cancer, but the best outcomes for patients usually occur when surgery is an option.
Pancreatic cancer is, in general, a relatively aggressive form of cancer. Dr. Seth Fagbemi, a Marshfield Clinic Health System oncologist/hematologist, said the best outcomes for patients usually occur when surgery is an option.
“After surgery, because of the risk of recurrence, which is real and relatively high, patients are offered additional treatments like chemotherapy or sometimes radiation,” Fagbemi said.
Fagbemi said it is also possible to use radiation or chemotherapy prior to surgery, in order to shrink the cancer and make surgery easier to perform. Surgery to remove pancreatic cancer is generally a challenging one because the stomach, liver and intestines surround the pancreas.
Symptoms of pancreatic cancer
Symptoms that could indicate the presence of pancreatic cancer include belly pain that radiates to the back, painless jaundice (yellow skin), poor appetite and weight loss, and in severe cases, vomiting. One of the difficulties of dealing with this type of cancer is that symptoms may not appear until the cancer has spread beyond the pancreas, Fagbemi said. It is detected via a biopsy.
Risk factors
Smoking and being overweight are both risk factors for developing pancreatic cancer. Research has also been able to associate genetic abnormalities with a higher risk of the cancer.
According to the American Cancer Society, African Americans are a little more likely to develop pancreatic cancer than Caucasians. Men are also more likely than women to suffer from the disease.
Care is getting better over time
Thirty years ago, Fagbemi said surgery was the main option to treat patients with pancreatic cancer.
“That’s why pancreatic cancer has that aura of being so aggressive and bad, which is still true,” Fagbemi said. “But over time, we have added treatment options that improve outcomes and quality-of-life for patients.”
Fagbemi said surgical procedures and radiation therapy have improved dramatically over the years.
“It’s a bad disease, but that is not a reason to avoid being seen,” Fagbemi said. “We can help people and improve quality-of-life.”
If you have concerns about symptoms or risk factors for pancreatic cancer, talk with your provider.
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I had surgery in 2015 to remove a blockage in a pancreatic duct that was not cancerous. Am I at increased risk for developing cancer in the future.
Hi Donna,
Thank you for reaching out. Mary Saeger PA-C, who works with the High Risk Pancreatic Cancer Screening Program, would be happy to address your question by phone and can be reached at 1-800-367-0982.
Hope that helps and that you have a great day,
Jake
My mom died from pancreatic cancer in 1995 within 10 months of being diagnosed . Her uncle on her mothers side also died from this type of cancer many years earlier. Am I someone who should be evaluated for further testing?
Hi Cheryl,
Patients with a family history of pancreatic cancer in 2 or more relatives (from the same side of the family) may be at increased risk. If you’d like to talk to us about this, please feel free to call us at 1-800-367-0982.
Thanks,
Jake
Wonderful site you have here but I was curious about if you knew of any discussion boards that cover the same topics discussed in this article? I'd really like to be a part of online community where I can get feed-back from other experienced people that share the same interest. If you have any suggestions, please let me know. Cheers!
Hello Benjamin,
Thank you for reaching out. We found the following link that has some resources you may find helpful: https://pancreatica.org/pancreatic-cancer-links/
Hope that helps,
Jake