Pancreatic cancer happens when cells in the pancreas develop changes (mutations) that cause them to grow out of control. These cells may then spread to nearby tissues or to other parts of the body.
Most people with pancreatic cancer have a type called adenocarcinoma. It’s not clear what causes these cancers, but researchers have found some things that can increase your risk of getting them. These include smoking, having a family history of pancreatic cancer and having diabetes. You can help lower your chances of getting pancreatic cancer by eating a balanced diet, staying at a healthy weight and not drinking alcohol. You should also avoid taking over-the-counter pain medicines unless your doctor recommends them.
If you have symptoms of pancreatic cancer, your doctor will order blood tests to find out if you have the disease. They will also check how well your liver and kidneys are working. You might need to have a test that looks for tumor markers, chemicals that many pancreatic cancers produce.
You might have a small operation to look inside your tummy at the pancreas (biopsy). Your surgeon will put a tube called a laparoscope through a tiny cut they make in your tummy. The laparoscope has a light and camera on the end of it. It lets your doctor see the area and take a sample of tissue to look at under a microscope.
You might need surgery if your tumor is large or has spread to other parts of the body. In most cases, your doctor will remove the head of the pancreas. They will also remove about 20 percent of the body of the pancreas. They will sometimes remove a part of the bile duct and the first part of your small intestine. Your doctor might give you medicine to ease the pain after surgery.
Radiation therapy uses high-energy X-rays to kill cancer cells and shrink tumors. Your provider might use it before or after surgery or as part of your chemotherapy treatment. At MD Anderson, we often use a type of radiation therapy called intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT). This technique delivers precise doses of radiation to the cancer, sparing normal tissues.
Chemotherapy uses medications to kill cancer cells and stop them from growing. We usually combine it with radiation therapy and, in some cases, with other treatments like pancreatic surgery. We use a variety of chemotherapy drugs to treat pancreatic cancer, including gemcitabine and nab-paclitaxel.
We don’t know what causes pancreatic cancer, but we do know that it starts in cells that make digestive juices. We also know that pancreatic cancer is more likely to spread to the lungs, peritoneum and stomach than other types of cancer. That’s why we always try to cure pancreatic cancer by treating it early. If you have symptoms, talk to your doctor right away. They will find the best treatment for you.
