Pancreatic Cancer – diagnosis and treatment options ( Cont ) Diagnosis of Pancreatic Cancer : ~ Medical Mag

In the previous topic Pancreatic cancer – diagnosis and Treatment Modalities ( Part 1 ) we discussed the etiology, causes and symptoms of pancreatic cancer. her we will continue by discussing diagnosis and treatment options of pancreatic cancer

Diagnosis of Pancreatic Cancer :
Once pancreatic cancer is suspected one or more of the following tests should be done in order to reach the diagnosis of pancreatic cancer or exclude it
Tests and investigations for Pancreatic Cancer include:
• Abdominal Ultrasound:-
The idea of Ultrasonography is to pass a high frequency waves through your body to create a moving picture of your internal organs including the pancreas.

• Computerized tomography Scan (CT Scan):
The idea of CT scanning is to use x ray images to visualize internal organs also injection of a dye may be used to increase the visualization of the organ

•    Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI ) :
MRI magnetic resonance images using a high powerful magnetic field to create images of your internal organs
•    Endoscopic Retrograde Cholangiopancreatography (ERCP ):
This technique is done by passing a flexible tube (Endoscope ) via your mouth down to your duodenum via your stomach to inject a dye to visualize the biliary tree and pancreatic opening into the duodenum then x ray images taken
•    Endoscopic Ultra sound ( EUS ):
The idea of this technique is to get the highest resolution for images obtained this is done by passing an Ultrasound device through an endoscope to get ultrasound imaging to your pancreas from inside your abdomen
•    Percutaneous transhepatic cholangiopancreatography ( PTC ):
Your doctor inserts a thin needle through the skin to your liver then injects a dye to visualize your biliary tree and pancreas
Stages of Pancreatic Cancer :-
After getting information from the tests and investigations done doctors can classify Pancreatic Cancer into four distinct stages :
Stage 1 Pancreatic Cancer: here cancer is confined to the pancreas
Stage 2 Pancreatic Cancer: cancer spreads beyond the pancreas to nearby tissues and lymphnodes
Stage 3 Pancreatic Cancer: cancer spreads beyond the pancreas to blood vessels and lymph nodes
Stage 4 Pancreatic Cancer: cancer spread to distant tissues and organs (widely spread metastasis )
Pancreatic Cancer treatment options:
Treatment options for pancreatic cancer depends on :-
-    The stage of the cancer
-    Location of the tumor inside the pancreas
-    Patients general condition
-    Patient age
Goals of Pancreatic Cancer treatment:
-    The first goal in Pancreatic Cancer treatment is to eliminate the cancer totally and permanently
-    If the previous option isn’t applicable so; doctors will focus on preventing the cancer from doing harm to the patient
-    If the cancer is in an advanced stage ( Terminal patient with Pancreatic Cancer ) the goal of treatment and medical intervention is to relieve patient symptoms and decrease pains.
Surgery in Pancreatic Cancer :-
Surgery might be a good option for patient with Pancreatic Cancer that is confined to the pancreas. Surgical operations done for patients with Pancreatic Cancer include:
•    Whipple operation ( Pancreatoduodenectomy ) :
If the Pancreatic Cancer is located in the head of the pancreas so whipple operation is the one. In this operation surgeon will remove the head of the pancreas , the duodenum, the gall bladder, part of the stomach and then reconnect the remaining parts of the stomach and small intestine together to allow the patient to digest food.
Bleeding and infection are a common complications of whipple operation also patient may experience vomiting after the operation due to delayed gastric emptying

• Distal Pancreatectomy :
This procedure is done if the Pancreatic Cancer is located in the distal portion ( the tail ) of the pancreas. In which the surgeon will excise the tail of the pancreas including the tumor within
Radiotherapy in Pancreatic Cancer :
The idea of the radiation therapy is to use the high energy of the radiation beam to destroy the tumor cells
Chemotherapy and Pancreatic Cancer:
This is via using certain chemotherapeutic drugs to kill the Pancreatic Cancer tumor cells, this could be done via using a single or a combination of the chemotherapeutic drugs. These drugs might be taken orally or via injections
Recent options and treatment modalities for Pancreatic Cancer :
• Targeted therapy: this technique based on attacking a certain abnormalities in the Pancreatic Cancer cells. rapy uses drugs that attack specific abnormalities within cancer cells. The targeted drug erlotinib (Tarceva) blocks chemicals that signal cancer cells to grow and divide. Erlotinib is usually combined with chemotherapy for use in people with advanced pancreatic cancer.