Pancreatic Cancer Treatment at Best Cancer Hospitals in India

 Pancreatic Cancer

Email Us: Free@mymedopinion.com or Call Us: +91-7503537224

www.mymedopinion.com

The cancer that grows inside the pancreas is known as pancreatic cancer. Pancreas is the gland that is about 6 inches long that makes hormones including the enzymes responsible for controlling blood sugar and also helps in digesting food. The development of pancreatic cancer starts when the cells inside the pancreas grow out of control. This cancer may metastasize or spread top surrounding organs and lymph nodes such as lungs and liver.

There are two types of pancreatitis. Acute and Chronic. The acute type is sudden onset and chronic type is longstanding and often caused by sustained heavy alcohol abuse. Multiple attacks of acute or chronic types can cause pancreatic cancer. There are three parts of the pancreas that include –

·         Tail : It is the end of the pancreas close to the spleen

·         Head : It is a part of the pancreas near to liver ducts and small bowel

·         Body : It is the middle of the pancreas

Types of Pancreatic Cancer

Pancreatic cancer can be categorized into different types that depend on whether or not the cancer began in the endocrine or exocrine component. Pancreatic cancer types include –

·    Endocrine Tumors : Endocrine tumors also referred to as pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors (PNETs) or islet cell tumors are not so common as compared to exocrine tumors. A pancreatic neuroendocrine tumor could be non-functioning that means it does not make any hormones or it could also be functioning that means it can make hormone.

·      Exocrine Tumors : They are considered as the most common type of pancreatic cancer. Adenocarcinoma that begins in gland cells is mostly seen in around 95% people who are suffering from pancreatic cancer. Ductal Adenocarcinoma is the ducts of the pancreas from where the tumor typically begins. Rarely when tumor starts in the acini then it is termed as acinar Adenocarcinoma.

DIAGNOSIS OF PANCREATIC CANCER

·         THE HELICAL "SPIRAL" CT scan is the state-of-the-art x-ray study, as it provides information about the nature and location of the tumor, as well as its resectability (chance that it can be surgically removed). Additional diagnostic procedures may be ordered if CT scan results are inconclusive.

·      Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI): Using magnetic waves, a scanner creates detailed images of the abdomen, in particular the area around the pancreas, liver, and gallbladder.

·      Ultrasound : Harmless sound waves reflected off organs in the belly create images, potentially helping doctors make a pancreatic cancer diagnosis.

·       Positron emission tomography (PET scan): Radioactive glucose injected into the veins is absorbed by cancer cells. PET scans may help determine the degree of pancreatic cancer spread.

·      Percutaneous needle biopsy : Under imaging guidance, a radiologist inserts a needle into the mass, capturing some tissue. This procedure is also called a fine needle aspiration (FNA).

·      Endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP): A flexible tube with a camera and other tools on its end (endoscope) is put through the mouth to the small intestine, near the pancreas. ERCP can collect images from the area, as well as take a small biopsy with a brush.

·      Endoscopic ultrasound :  An endoscope (a long, thin, illuminated optical instrument) is passed through the patient's mouth into the stomach. By using this instrument in combination with an ultrasound device mounted on its tip, it can be determined if the cancer has invaded adjacent large blood vessels or lymph glands. This procedure can also uncover smaller tumors than those currently detectable by CT scanning techniques.

Stages of Pancreatic Cancer

Stage is a term used in cancer treatment to describe the extent of spread of the cancer. The stages of pancreatic cancer are used to guide treatment and to classify patients for clinical trials. The stages of pancreatic cancer are:

·         Stage 0 : No spread. Pancreatic cancer is limited to a single layer of cells in the pancreas. The pancreatic cancer is not visible on imaging tests or even to the naked eye.

·         Stage I : Local growth. Pancreatic cancer is limited to the pancreas, but has grown to less than 2 centimeters across (stage IA) or greater than 2 centimeters (stage IB).

·         Stage II : Local spread. Pancreatic cancer has grown outside the pancreas, or has spread to nearby lymph nodes.

·    Stage III : Wider spread. The tumor has expanded into nearby major blood vessels or nerves but has not metastasized.

·         Stage IV : Confirmed spread. Pancreatic cancer has spread to distant organs.

Treatment of Pancreatic Cancer at Best Hospitals in India

At present, pancreatic cancer is treated either surgically, with chemotherapy, or a combination of radiation and chemotherapy.

Surgery

Surgery may be used to remove all or part of thepancreas. If a cancer has not metastasized, it is possible tocompletely cure a patient by surgically removing the cancer from the body. Due to concern that the standard Whipple was associated with excessive weight loss and nutritional problems, many surgeons use a modified version of the procedure in which the stomach is preserved. This is called the pylorus preserving Whipple operation. It was believed this approach minimized postoperative nutritional problems and today this is the most commonly performed operation for patients with cancers in the head of the gland.  There are three main surgical procedures that are used when it seems possible to remove all of the cancer :

·         Whipple Procedure : The Pancreas head, and sometimes the entire organ, is removed along with a portion of the stomach, duodenum, lymph nodes, and other tissue. The procedure is complex and risky with complications such as leaking, infections, bleeding, and stomach problems.

·         Distal Pancreatectomy : A Distal Pancreatectomy is where the bottom half of the pancreas is removed by a surgical procedure. The most frequent reason for performing a distal pancreatectomy is the presence of a tumor in the body or tail of the pancreas.

·         Central Pancreatectomy : In a Central Pancreatectomy, a tumor in the neck or body of the pancreas is removed while preserving the healthy head and tail of the pancreas.

·         Total Pancreatectomy : In a Total Pancreatectomy, the entire pancreas is removed. Similar to a Whipple procedure, a portion of the stomach, duodenum, gallbladder, and local lymph nodes are also removed. The spleen may be removed as well. This procedure is used when malignant cells have invaded most of the pancreatic tissue.

Laparoscopy

The minimally invasive surgical techniques of laparoscopy are normally used directly before a scheduled pancreatic resection to determine if a more invasive operation is the best course of action. Since metastases can sometimes be missed on CT, MRI or other imaging studies, laparoscopy is a reliable way to check for metastasis to other organs. If metastases are found and the surgeon decides an operation is not the best course of action, then the patient will have a shorter recovery time compared to that of a major surgery and will be in better shape to receive alternate forms of treatment.

Chemotherapy

Inoperable pancreatic cancers require the use of chemotherapy / radiation therapy to shrink / control the tumour growth. Pancreatic cancers with metastatic require chemotherapy. Selection of chemotherapeutic drugs, dosages and schedule depend on the physical condition of the patient and performance status. Patient not fit for injetable chemotherapy may also be offered targeted therapy. For patients whose tumors cannot be completely removed surgically, treatment generally focuses on the prevention and/or management of symptoms through radiation and/or chemotherapy. Radiation therapy is most often used to relieve painful disease sites, while chemotherapy is prescribed to reduce the rate of tumor growth and thus prolong survival. In some instances, radiation and chemotherapy are utilized together.

Radiation therapy

It destroys cancer by focusing high-energy rays on the cancer cells. This causes damage to the molecules that make up the cancer cells and leads them to commit suicide. Unlike chemotherapy which is a systemic treatment, radiation therapy is a local treatment meant to destroy only tumor cells. During the treatment, a beam of radiation is directed through the abdomen to the cancerous area. The radiation is similar to that used for diagnostic X-rays, only in a higher dose.

Send us a Medical Report to Get FREE Medical Opinion from India's Top Doctors MyMedOpinion.com is the hub of Surgeons and specialists for major diseases. We give you a chance to speak to our doctors and discuss your health issues directly.