Pancreatic cancer: why early diagnosis is key and what are the warning symptoms -

World Disease Day, review of risk factors, detection methods and expert advice

This November 20th marks World Pancreatic Cancer Day.According to experts, the disease usually occurs in advanced stages.

According to the Mayo Clinic, the American Cancer Society and the Cleveland Clinic, the pancreas, located behind the lower abdomen, plays an essential role in digestion and blood sugar control.

The poor survival rate associated with pancreatic cancer is mainly due to the lack of clear symptoms in the early stages.According to the Cleveland Clinic, symptoms usually appear when the tumor has already spread to other organs, making early diagnosis difficult.

The most common type of this disease is ductal adenocarcinoma, which arises in the cells that line the ducts responsible for transporting digestive enzymes from the pancreas.The American Cancer Society states that the pancreas is approximately 15 centimeters (6 inches) long and less than 5 centimeters (2 inches) wide, and is divided into a head, body, and tail, each of which has a specific location in the abdomen.

The most common symptoms include jaundice, dark urine, light-colored stools, abdominal or back pain, fatigue, nausea, weight loss, loss of appetite, and new-onset diabetes.In some cases, patients may develop blood clots or itchy skin.Neuroendocrine pancreatic cancer can present with a variety of symptoms, such as diarrhea and anemia.

Diagnosis is often delayed because initial symptoms may be unclear or confused with other symptoms.Some people report complaints such as back pain or stomach pain.up to a year before being diagnosedAnd these symptoms may be worse after eating or before bed.

Treatment for pancreatic cancer depends on how advanced the disease is and includes options such as surgery, chemotherapy, radiation therapy or combinations of these, depending on the medical team.

Dr. Pablo Capitanich, the head of the Bile Billet and the area of ​​surgery of the German hospital, warned that the lack of early symptoms and effective extraction methods interferes with the search for drugs.

In terms of risk factors, both Capitanch and Cleveland specialists, smoking cessation and access to alcohol between 5% and 10% were associated with genetic mutations such as BRCA1, BRCA2, Gelb2 Genes, or Lynch syndrome to products such as pesticides and petrochemicals.

late diagnosis

One of the main obstacles to this disease is the lack of specific symptoms in the early stages.As the disease progresses, according to the Cleveland Clinic, the most common symptoms are abdominal pain, abdominal or back pain, fatigue, weight loss, nausea and loss of appetite.

Sometimes, the sudden onset of diabetes can be a warning sign.Capitanich noted that the non-specificity of these symptoms can lead to delays in consultation and diagnosis.Ampullary tumors, although not strictly considered pancreatic tumors, may be detected early due to obstruction of the bile duct, which results in a better prognosis than other types of tumors.

Treatment methods and recent developments

The approach to pancreatic cancer depends on the stage and location of the tumor, as well as on the general condition of the patient.Capitanich shows that the only curative option is a combination of surgery and systemic chemotherapy.However, only 20 to 30% of patients are diagnosed with a condition that allows surgical treatment.Clinic Clinic agrees that complete surgical removal of the tumor is a realistic cure, but is only recommended when all cancer cells can be removed.The most surgical techniques used are the Whipple procedure, long and total pancreatectomy, depending on the location and extent of the tumor.

Chemotherapy and radiation therapy are used as an adjunct or primary alternative in advanced cases.Targeted therapy and immunotherapy, especially in the context of personalized medicine, are beginning to show promising results.Developments in genetic testing, combination therapy, and access to genomic research are changing the paradigm, although access is not uniform across countries.

Control and future management

Prevention is mainly based on changing lifestyle habits and controlling risk factors.Kapitanich recommends quitting smoking, reducing alcohol consumption, avoiding processed foods, maintaining a healthy weight, increasing physical activity, and controlling diabetes.People with a genetic history should undergo periodic genetic testing and imaging studies.All experts agree that avoiding tobacco, limiting alcohol, prioritizing fruit and vegetable consumption, and minimizing exposure to hazardous chemicals are also important.