Pancreatic Cancer
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Understanding pancreatic cancer: Causes, symptoms, and treatment options
The pancreas is an organ in your belly that helps digest food and control blood sugar levels. Pancreatic cancer (pancreatic adenocarcinoma) occurs when cells in the pancreas grow uncontrollably, forming tumors. These tumors can interfere with how the pancreas works and may also affect nearby organs like the bile duct, liver, and gallbladder. The most common type of pancreatic cancer is called pancreatic adenocarcinoma. It starts in the small tubes (ducts) that carry digestive juices from the pancreas to the intestines.
Pancreatic cancer risk factors
While we don't fully understand what causes pancreatic cancer, certain risk factors can increase your chances of getting the disease:
- Smoking
- Long-term alcohol use and cirrhosis (liver scarring)
- Obesity
- Family history of pancreatic or other cancers
Understanding these risk factors can help catch problems early and prevent them. Genetic counseling and testing can give you a better idea of your risks and help guide your monitoring and treatment plans.
Recognizing the signs of pancreatic cancer
Early pancreatic cancer often doesn't cause obvious symptoms. As the cancer grows, you might notice:
- Pain in the upper abdomen or back
- Yellowing of the skin and eyes (jaundice)
- Dark-colored urine
- Weakness and fatigue
- Loss of appetite
- Nausea and vomiting
- Unexplained weight loss
- Floating stools with a strong odor from unabsorbed fats
These symptoms can also be signs of other, less serious conditions. If you're experiencing any of them, it's important to see a healthcare professional for a proper diagnosis.
Understanding the stages of pancreatic cancer
Understanding the stage of pancreatic cancer helps determine the best treatment plan. The disease is usually divided into four main stages:
- Resectable (removable): The tumor is mainly contained in the pancreas and hasn’t affected important blood vessels. Surgery to remove it is usually possible at this stage.
- Borderline resectable: The tumor has spread beyond the pancreas and partially involves nearby blood vessels but hasn’t spread to other parts of the body.
- Locally advanced: The tumor affects important arteries, veins, or nearby organs, making surgery more difficult. Treatments may focus on shrinking the tumor.
- Metastatic: The cancer has spread to distant organs and cannot be removed by surgery. Treatment focuses on managing symptoms and improving quality of life. Around 45 to 55 percent of patients are diagnosed at this stage.
How pancreatic cancer is diagnosed
Diagnosis often involves a combination of imaging tests and laboratory analysis:
- Imaging tests: CT scans, MRI, and endoscopic ultrasounds help create images of the pancreas and detect tumors.
- Biopsy: A small sample of pancreatic tissue is examined under a microscope to confirm cancer cells.
- Genetic counseling: For people with a family history of cancer, genetic testing can identify inherited risks.
Early detection is key for better outcomes, so it’s important to talk to your doctor if you have any concerning symptoms.
Treatment options for pancreatic cancer
Treatment plans are personalized based on the cancer's stage and the patient's overall health. Options may include:
- Surgery: Removing the tumor if it is still confined to the pancreas and hasn't affected major blood vessels. This can be done using traditional open surgery, minimally invasive laparoscopic surgery, or robotic-assisted surgery.
- Chemotherapy: Using drugs to kill cancer cells or prevent them from growing.
- Radiation therapy: Using high-energy rays to target and destroy cancer cells.
Downstaging: Shrinking tumors to make surgery possible
UCLA Health offers advanced treatment options, including downstaging, which helps make tumors that were once considered inoperable easier to remove. By shrinking the tumors through chemotherapy before surgery, patients have a better chance of successful tumor removal and improved survival rates.
In over 50% of cases treated at UCLA Health, surgeons have successfully removed the cancer, significantly improved survival rates and even curing some patients. Patients who undergo downstaging at UCLA Health live twice as long as pancreatic cancer patients nationwide.
Comprehensive support for your pancreatic cancer journey
Facing pancreatic cancer can be overwhelming, but you don’t have to go through it alone. Supportive care services, including emotional support, nutritional guidance, and symptom management, can help you and your loved ones navigate this journey with greater comfort and strength.
- Support groups: Connect with others facing similar challenges for comfort and helpful advice.
- Nutritional counseling: Receive proper nutrition to help manage symptoms and improve well-being.
- Palliative care: Focuses on relieving symptoms and improving quality of life at any stage of illnesss.
Expert pancreatic cancer care at UCLA Health
With support from the Hirshberg Foundation, the UCLA Agi Hirshberg Center for Pancreatic Diseases is advancing research to deliver new treatments, enhanced care, and preventive measures to patients and their families.
If you or a loved one is facing pancreatic cancer, UCLA Health provides expert care and support. Learn more about our advanced treatments and how we can help.