Pancreatic Cancer Symptoms

Pancreatic cancer is a chronic and serious disease characterized by malignant neoplasm found in the lower left part of the abdomen. In order to confirm if a patient is suffering from this condition, physicians usually perform tests at the onset of early symptoms. When it comes to treatment, health professionals provide different kinds of treatments depending on the stage of the cancer. To know more about this chronic and life threatening illness, let us look at the various pancreatic cancer symptoms.

Pancreatic Cancer Signs

The symptoms of this illness depend on the stage of the cancer. Patients who experience minor symptoms like recurrent and sharp pain in the abdomen, nausea, loss of appetite and unexplained loss of weight should consult with their physicians to know the treatments that they need to take. Those who experience the major symptoms of this disease such as jaundice and digestive disorders should ask immediate assistance from their physicians because the symptoms can also indicate other serious or chronic illnesses that are commonly associated with cancer.

Pancreatic Cancer Diagnosis

To make sure that physicians will not commit mistakes when treating patients with the above-mentioned symptoms, they perform different medical diagnostic tests. In order to examine the real condition of their patients, health professionals use sophisticated and advance technology in diagnosing the problem. One of the most effective technology and medical procedure that physicians can use to detect the underlying cause of the symptoms is magnetic resonance imaging. In addition to this, physicians can also perform endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography. Another diagnostic procedure that can help medical professionals identify the formation of tumors is the percutaneous transhepatic cholangiography. In this procedure, health experts will put a thin and small needle in the liver to examine blockages.

Pancreatic Cancer Treatment

After assessing the exact location of tumors as well as the stage of the cancer, physicians can recommend treatments that patients can try. One of the most common treatments is surgery. In this invasive procedure, surgeons have the chance to remove the tumors and enhance the quality of life of patients. However, surgery can only be effective if the tumors or cancer cells are not localized. Another effective treatment for pancreatic cancer is chemotherapy. In some cases, physicians recommend patients to undergo palliative treatment to prevent the recurrence of symptoms and the development of complications. Above all, in severe cases, patients are advised to try multimodal therapy, which include radiation therapy, chemotherapy and different surgical procedures.