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Pancreatic Cancer: Causes, Types, Symptoms, and Treatment

Pancreatic cancer develops in the tissues of the pancreas. The most common type develops in the cells that line the ducts. This duct is known as pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma, which carries the digestive enzymes out of the pancrea

Pancreatic cancer is difficult to diagnose at its early stage. Hence identifying its symptoms is essential to prevent it at the outset.

Keep scrolling to learn about its causes, symptoms and other vital details.

What Causes Pancreatic Cancer?

There are no particular causes of pancreatic cancer. However, researchers have identified certain risk factors.

Take a look -

Age, Gender and Race

Adults who develop pancreatic cancer are older than 45 years. Moreover, 90% of them are older than 55. At the same time, 70% of individuals are above 65 years of age. Pancreatic cancer symptoms in females are less common than in males. It is the 10th most common cancer in men. Black and Ashkenazi Jewish people are also vulnerable to pancreatic cancer.

Genetic Conditions

You or your family members are prone to develop pancreatic cancer if more than 2 members in your family have been diagnosed with this disease. This family member includes your siblings, parents or children.

The American Society of Clinical Oncology suggests individuals with pancreatic adenocarcinoma must consider the genetic test. Family history of other types of cancer must also contact a genetic counsellor to detect this deadly disease at the outset.

Genetic Diseases

Individuals with the following inherited diseases are more likely at risk to develop pancreatic carcinoma.

Take a look -

Peutz-Jeghers syndrome
Hereditary breast and ovarian cancer syndrome
Li-Fraumeni syndrome
Lynch syndrome
Familial malignant melanoma and pancreatic cancer

Medical Conditions

People with the following underlying diseases may show the symptoms of pancreatic cancer -

Cirrhosis
Development of Helicobacter pylori bacteria, causing ulcers and inflammation in the stomach.
Hepatitis B
Diabetes and obesity
Severe pancreatitis

Lifestyle

Individuals who are alcoholic and do excessive smoking are more prone to develop pancreatic cancer.

Chemical Exposure

Continued exposure to chemicals such as benzene, petrochemicals and pesticides increases the risk of developing this disease.

What Are the Types of Pancreatic Cancer?

Pancreatic cancer is divided into the 2 following categories –

Exocrine pancreatic cancer
Neuroendocrine pancreatic cancer

Let's find out the types of cancer that fall under these categories -

Exocrine Pancreatic Cancer

Approximately 95% of pancreatic cancers develop in the pancreas's exocrine cells. These exocrine cells in the pancreas produce enzymes to aid digestion. Here are the following types of pancreatic cancers that fall under these categories -

Pancreatic Adenocarcinoma
Adenosquamous Carcinoma
Squamous Cell Carcinoma
Colloid Carcinoma

Neuroendocrine Pancreatic Cancer

This type of cancer develops in the endocrine glands of the pancreas. The endocrine gland produces insulin and glucagon to regulate blood sugar. This type of cancer is rare, with a diagnosis rate of less than 5%.

Another type of cancer includes Benign Precancerous Lesions. These are not malignant tumours. Although, depending on the severity of these tumours, doctors may prescribe surgery to avoid any future health complications.

12 Symptoms of Pancreatic Cancer Stage

Here are the common pancreatic cancer symptoms across all its stages -

Jaundice
Weight loss and low appetite
Nausea
Diabetes
Tiredness
Back or abdominal pain
Enlargement of liver or gallbladder
Dark urine
Rash on skin
Greasy stool
Recurring fever
Clotting of blood

Most of the symptoms mentioned above may not indicate pancreatic cancer. However, if you notice any symptoms, contact a healthcare professional.

4 Tests to Diagnose Pancreatic Cancer

A doctor will ask about your family medical history and will prescribe the following test -

Blood test, including liver test
Stool and urine test
MRI scan, X-ray or ultrasound
Biopsy of the tumour

Doctors prescribe several tests to determine the stage of cancer. Staging determines how much tumour has spread to the entire body. Based on your diagnosis, doctors will assign the following cancer stage:

Stage	What Does it Suggest
1	Tumours are present in the pancreas
2	Cancer has spread to the bile duct. However, it has not reached the lymph nodes.
3	It has reached the lymph nodes
4	It has spread to a patient’s other parts of the body, such as the liver and lungs.

According to the American Cancer Society, the average year of survival is 5 years after diagnosis. Based on each stage, the survival rate follows -

Stage	Meaning	Survival Rate
Regional	Cancer has spread from the pancreas to lymph nodes	13%
Localised	Cancer has not spread outside the pancreas	39%
Distant	Cancer has spread to the parts of the body	3%

Depending on the cancer stage, a doctor will prescribe a suitable treatment to a patient to cure this disease.

The survival rate of 5 years varies. It depends upon which stage cancer has been diagnosed. Note the following data:

In Case of Early Diagnosis

In the early diagnosis of pancreatic cancer, approximately 10% of patients live a cancer-free life. While if the cancer is diagnosed before the tumour grows, the average life expectancy drops down to 3 to 3.5 years.

In Case of Resectable Tumours

A resectable tumour means that doctors can operate it out from the body. Stage 1 and 2 pancreatic cancers are resectable. Stage 3 cancer is categorised as borderline. Surgery in this is only possible if a high-trained doctor does it. Patients are always at risk of getting back the tumours. Hence the average life expectancy remains at 2.5 years after diagnosis. The 5-year survival rate is 20-30%.

Note that other factors also count to extend the survival rate. These are proper treatment, correct nutrition and an active lifestyle.

Treatments & Procedures for Pancreatic Cancer

The treatment of pancreatic cancer depends on the following -

Stage of this cancer
Type of pancreatic cancer
Patient's age and underlying medical conditions

Doctors also consider a patient's personal choice during his/her treatment.

With all these considerations in mind, doctors move ahead with the following treatment -

1. Surgery

Procedure:

It is only possible if the cancer is at its early stage. Following procedures of surgeries are -

Distal pancreatectomy
Whipple
Total pancreatectomy
Palliative

Side-effects: NA

2. Embolisation

Procedure:

Doctors inject a substance into the artery that stops the blood from reaching the cancer cells. Without the blood supply, those cells will die.

Side-effects:

Clotting of blood
Nausea
Fever
Infections

3. Chemotherapy

Procedure:

Doctors use drugs to kill cancer cells. The treatment is performed in 2-3 weeks. Chemotherapy is applied to a stage 4 pancreatic cancer patient. However, it is impossible to cure. It only provides relief from additional complications that may arise later.

Side-effects:

Hair loss
Vomiting
Exhaustion

4. Immunotherapy

Procedure:

Healthcare professionals infuse PD-1 inhibitors into a patient's body. This improves his/her body's immune system and identifies the cells to destroy it.

Side-effects:

Tiredness
Joint pain
Cough and rash on the skin

5. Targeted Therapy

Procedure:

As the name suggests, these therapies are targeted to the particular cancer cell.

3 types of targeted therapy are available -

PARP inhibitors
NTRK inhibitors
EGFR inhibitors

Side-effects:

It varies with each patient and the type of treatment he/she receives.

6. Ablation

Procedure:

This treatment is helpful to destroy tumours smaller than 1-inch. This involves using heat or cold treatments. Surgeons use a needle to apply the treatment.

Side-effects: NA

7. Radiation Therapy

Procedure:

Doctors use high-energy rays to destroy malignant tumours. It removes or decreases the size of the tumour. Patients receive radiation therapy 5 days a week or for multiple weeks.

Side-effects:

Fatigue
Gastrointestinal issues
Change of the skin

How to Prevent Pancreatic Cancer?

There is still no clarity in the causes of pancreatic cancer. Additionally, changes in the risk factors such as gender and genetic conditions are not possible. However, you can bring lifestyle changes to prevent this disease from developing in your body:

Quit smoking and consume less alcohol.
Exercise and maintain a healthy body weight.
Eat a balanced diet. Also, including fresh vegetables and fruits is a must.
Limit the consumption of red meat.

Pancreatic cancer is the 4th leading cancer-causing death worldwide. Therefore keep the risk factors in mind and take precautions accordingly. Early diagnosis helps in quick recovery and allows one to lead a cancer-free life.

Frequently Asked Questions

All

Is there any correlation between breast and pancreatic cancer?

Yes. Nearly 5% of pancreatic cancer patients suffer from breast and ovarian cancer mutation. However, people suffering from breast cancer are not always prone to pancreatic cancer.