227
Prasanth VS

Understanding Pancreatic Cancer

The disease known as pancreatic cancer happens when malignant cells form in the tissues of the pancreas.  Malignant means that the cells are cancerous.  The pancreas itself is an organ that is 6 inches long and shaped like a pear. It is located behind the stomach and in front of the spine.


Pancreas treatment in Coimbatore

Why is the pancreas important?

Just because it is a small organ does not mean that the pancreas does not have an important role in the human body.  The pancreas actually has major purposes and these are the production of juices that help your body to break down and digest food; and the production of insulin and glucagons that is needed to control blood sugar levels.  The hormones are used to help the body either store or use the energy that comes from the food we eat.

How can it become cancerous?

There are various ways that you can get pancreatic cancer.  One way is developing risk factors through activities like smoking or anything unhealthy to your overall health.  Of course, risk factors do not mean that you will get pancreatic cancer for sure but it does mean that your chances of getting it are higher. 


Some risk factors include:

  • Smoking
  • Chronic diabetes
  • Pancreatitis
  • Hereditary factors including colon cancer and pancreatitis

How do I know that I have pancreatic cancer?

 

The symptoms of pancreatic cancers are wide and varied.  But usually, the symptoms happen at the same time and a doctor should be consulted if you ever show signs of:

  • Jaundice or the yellowing of skin and eyes
  • Abdominal pain in the upper or middle area, including your back
  • Weight loss
  • Appetite loss
  • Tiredness and fatigue

Now, what makes pancreatic cancer riskier than other types of cancer is that it can be very difficult to single out or detect.  When it happens, there may not be any noticeable signs in its early stages.  Also, the pancreatic cancer signs are very similar to those of other illnesses and conditions. 


Yet another reason why pancreatic cancer cannot be easily detected is that the pancreas itself is well hidden in the body behind other organs like the stomach, the small intestine, spleen, bile ducts, and gallbladder. This makes it almost impossible to find if the pancreas is indeed suffering from the early stages of pancreatic cancer. 


However, there are various tests that you can go through to make sure that you are not suffering from the disease at all and it’s these tests that you should go through once you find you have all the symptoms of this type of cancer.


Seek the help of Pancreatic specialist doctors in Coimbatore to get more insights. 


Related Articles