Pancreatic cancer – symptoms, causes, prognosis
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PANCREATIC CANCER
PANCREATIC CANCER is a rare cancer
with a poor prognosis because it remains asymptomatic for a long time
and the first symptoms appear when the disease is already
advanced.
In 90% of patients, it is adenocarcinoma.
Statistically, older people
around 60-70 years old are most often affected,
and it occurs with similar frequency in women and men.
The cancer most often develops in the exocrine part (approximately 95%).
The remaining 5% affect the endocrine part.
In 90% of cases, the cancer is Solid tumor
Ten percent of patients have cystic tumors.
Another classification concerns location.
70% of patients have tumors located in the head of the pancreas, 20% in the body,
and only 10% are located in the tail of the pancreas.
The most common cause is smoking.
It accounts for 25% of all cases.
Other causes include chronic pancreatitis
and diabetes.
Characteristic symptoms include painless jaundice and
Courvoisier's sign, i.e., a painless enlarged gallbladder.
Venous Trousseau's sign, i.e., migratory phlebitis, may also occur.
Not to be confused with the classic Trousseau's sign, which is a result of tetany and manifests as
forced clenching of the hand in the so-called obstetrician's hand.
Diagnosis involves a complete blood count
which reveals increased ALP and GGTP.
An increase in CA 19-9 antigen
which is considered a tumor marker of the pancreas, liver, and ducts may also be observed. Biliary tract infections
Ultrasound is also performed, which can visualize the presence of a tumor. Imaging tests are sufficient for diagnosis.
The only effective treatment option is radical surgery using the Whipple method.
For those who are not candidates for surgery, chemotherapy
and biliary duct stenting are used.
The prognosis depends on whether the patient is eligible for surgery.
In the case of surgical treatment, the 5-year survival rate is
approximately 20%.
If the patient is not eligible for surgery, the 5-year survival rate is 0%.
Patients in the early stages of the disease may be eligible for surgery.
Unfortunately, they constitute only 20% of all patients.
Therefore, periodic follow-up examinations, such as ultrasound, are important, especially in older individuals.