by Koenraad » Sun Oct 01, 2017 4:54 am
Pancreatic cancer starts in the pancreas. The pancreas is an organ that makes insulin which helps our bodies to use sugar for energy. The pancreas also releases amylase and lipase which are used to help with digestion. The pancreas is connected to the liver, gallbladder and small intestine through a few tubes called bile ducts. Pancreatic cancer usually starts with mild and vague symptoms that are hard to pinpoint. People may have a decreased appetite, unintentional weight loss, nausea, vomiting, bloating, feeling full. Later on people may become jaundiced (have yellow discoloration to the skin and whites of the eyes). They may also have pain in their abdomen. Because the symptoms of pancreatic cancer are so vague right away, most people don't see their doctor until the disease has already gotten pretty bad. Plus since the pancreas makes all those things (insulin, amylase, lipase) and releases them into the body, it is very easy for the cancer to spread. Sometimes people can be treated with a surgery called a Whipple procedure where they remove a lot of that area. They would then also be treated with chemo and possibly radiation. Pancreatic cancer is not a good one to get. It moves fast and so far we are not very successful at curing it, but it all depends on when it was caught. Hope that helps a little. I know it is pretty confusing stuff.