Treatment options for pancreatic cancer – Part 1
July 6, 2009 by
Filed under Gall Bladder Symptoms
The most appropriate treatment for a patient with pancreatic cancer depends on several factors. First and foremost are the stage and the location of the cancer. However, the patient’s age, overall health and personal preferences are also important factors in the decision.
According to the Mayo Clinic, the first goal of treating pancreatic cancer is get rid of the disease. However, given the five percent survival rate and the difficulty in diagnosing the illness before it reaches an advanced stage, often this proves impossible. The focus then shifts on preventing the cancer from growing or causing additional harm. For patients with advanced disease, these treatments aren’t likely to provide many benefits, and the most important steps to take might be to find ways to relieve symptoms and increase the overall comfort level.
The National Cancer Institute divides treatment into two options: (1) standard and currently in use and (2) methods being tested in clinical trials. There are three types standard treatment:
1. Surgery: To excise the tumor, the surgeon might perform a Whipple procedure to remove the head of the pancreas, the gallbladder, part of the stomach, a portion of the small intestine and the bile duct. A chunk of the pancreas remains to produce digestive juices and insulin. This was the initial treatment of the late Carnegie Mellon University professor Randy Pausch of “Last Lecture” fame who succumbed to the complications of pancreatic cancer on July 25, 2008.
Another option is the total pancreatectomy to remove the entire pancreas, part of the stomach, part of the small intestine, common bile duct, gall bladder, spleen and adjacent lymph nodes.
When a surgeon elects a distal pancreatectomy, he removes the body and the tail of the pancreas and often includes the spleen.
If the disease has spread and cannot be removed, the patient has several types of palliative surgery available to relieve symptoms. These include a surgical biliary bypass, endoscopic stent placement and gastric bypass. These operations remove blockages, allow the patient to eat normally or increase overall comfort.
2. Radiation therapy: This treatment focuses X-rays or other kinds of radiation to kill cancer cells or prevent their growth. Both external and internal radiation treatments inserted directly into the body are now available.
3. Chemotherapy: Drugs either halt the growth of cancer cells by killing them or by preventing them from dividing. Chemotherapy
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