Pancreatic cancer can creep up silently: Be aware of the symptoms for early diagnosis and treatment
If there is something that we must learn from the existing COVID-19 outbreak, it is that we cannot ignore the underlying simmering disease burdens that are impacting our population at large. To prepare for the future, we must address the diseases that exist currently, putting more people at risk. Pancreatic cancer is one such disease. While much has been said about the impact of breast cancer, and other types of cancers, very little is known about pancreatic cancer and even less about its cures. What makes pancreatic cancer a threat to the global society? According to the latest Global Burden of Disease Study 2017, pancreatic cancer cases have increased by almost 2.3 times between 1990 and 2017. Awareness is critical for these numbers to change as the disease can easily be managed with timely diagnosis and minimally invasive procedures.
Don’t ignore symptoms like nausea, indigestion and poor appetite
“The biggest hurdle in identifying a disease like pancreatic cancer is that the symptoms
are similar to those of other infections of the gastro tract. The
cancer causes only vague symptoms like abdominal or back pain, loss of
appetite, weight loss, change in stool, or nausea. Now, most patients
dismiss these symptoms as just another problem. If patients are
experiencing these symptoms more often, we suggest you speak to the
doctor. For instance, poor appetite, nausea and indigestion
are common in people living with pancreatic cancer, and some of these
symptoms occur because there is a tumour in your pancreas, pressing
against the stomach. Hence, these are signs to watch out for,” says Dr.
Arulprakash S, Senior Consultant and Clinical Lead, Gastroenterology and
Hepatology, MGM Healthcare, Chennai.
Obesity, age, alcohol consumption major risk factors
From improving therapeutic capabilities to facilitating early retrieval, smarter diagnostic tools are helping map cancers better, and helping surgeons decide whether the disease is localised or extensive. That said, an important part of these technological transformations is awareness. Not just the symptoms but people also must know the conditions that put them more at risk. For instance, obesity, age, alcohol consumption among others are factors that determine a person’s exposure to cancer risk. Knowing your risks and discussing them with your doctor can go a long way in helping you detect pancreatic cancer at early stages.
Early detection is essential
A more challenging part of the problem is the lack of awareness about the disease and its treatment. If the cancer is detected in early stages, it can be treated through a surgery that involved removing the cancer completely. However, the numbers of patients who make for surgical resection candidates remains low as most of them seek treatment at much later stages. This is where the role of technology becomes critical. Today, technology is changing the course of how pancreatic cancer is treated. Minimally invasive procedures like cholangioscopy and EUS are helping experts detect the cancer at an early stage, giving a more definitive diagnosis of pancreatic cancers.
Diagnosis of pancreatic cancer
On that note, Dr. Prakash Zacharias, Chief of Endoscopy Services & Senior Consultant at Lisie Institute of Gastroenterology, Lisie Hospital, Kochi, said, “The thing to understand is that pancreatic cancer cells are evasive. By the time the patient presents to a physician or surgeon, the disease would have invaded the surrounding tissues making it difficult for removal. In certain situations, it would be difficult to differentiate a benign from malignant tumours. In such situations, newer procedures like Endoscopic ultrasound (EUS) guided biopsy would be useful. This helps the clinician to obtain sample using needle biopsy under direct visualisation. EUS also helps for accurate preoperative staging and planning treatment in pancreatic cancers.”
Dr Zacharias goes on to say that there are certain pancreatic tumours which develop within the pancreatic duct and at multiple areas. In such tumours, pancreatoscopy would be of great benefit to localise and take targeted biopsies. Science is offering us solutions that help us make accurate diagnosis and assess the extent of the disease more accurately.