One of the dangerous pathologies is a pancreatic tumor. Symptoms of the disease to detect at an early stage is almost impossible. Such an ailment is diagnosed in patients, usually in an advanced stage. And to cure a progressive pathology is quite difficult.
Anatomical description
The pancreas is a small organ located directly behind the stomach. It performs two important functions:
- Digestive The body produces enzymes. They contribute to the breakdown of food, protein, fat, carbohydrates. Enzymes are released through the ducts of the gland into the lumen of the duodenum.
- Endocrine. The pancreas produces hormones involved in metabolic processes. Among them are insulin. A hormone that can lower blood sugar. Another important substance is glucagon. The hormone provides an increase in sugar levels. No less important is the production of gastrin. This hormone increases the production of pancreatic juice by the gland.
The following sections of the pancreas are distinguished in anatomy:
- a head;
- the neck;
- body;
- tail.
Most often, a pancreatic head tumor is diagnosed.
Causes of pathology
A pancreatic tumor, the symptoms of which are clearly manifested in the last stages, is a malignant formation. Pathology is quite common in oncology. Since iron has an increased load. As a result, the body is not always able to cope with its basic functions.
The causes of the tumor in many clinical cases remain a mystery. However, doctors have identified factors that provide the conditions for the creation of cancer cells.
So, a malignant tumor of the pancreas can develop against the background of:
- Smoking . This is the very first factor that provokes the development of pathology. Aromatic polycyclic hydrocarbons contained in tobacco smoke are a powerful stimulator of tumor development. Almost 1/3 of all pancreatic cancer diseases are triggered by smoking.
- Old age . People after 60 years are more at risk for pathology.
- Gender According to statistics, a tumor of this gland is more often diagnosed in men.
- Diabetes mellitus . High sugar levels can lead to pancreatic cancer.
- Chronic pancreatitis . Long-term inflammation often becomes a predisposing factor to the development of the disease. Reactive pancreatic changes characteristic of pancreatitis provoke swelling of the organ. The outflow of enzymes is difficult. Pancreatic juice, which did not enter the digestive tract, has a detrimental effect on organ tissues. As a result of this, the pancreatic parenchyma is seriously impaired.
- Obesity . Overweight and related disorders in the body can become a source of cancer.
- Malnutrition . The abuse of carbohydrates, fats creates an increased load on the body. As a result, iron can malfunction. A diet rich in fruits and vegetables significantly reduces the risk of a tumor.
- Heredity . In the presence of relatives who have undergone this pathology, the risk of developing cancer of the gland increases significantly.
First signs of the disease
It is very difficult to determine the period when the first problems with the pancreas arise . Symptoms may not be noticeable until the onset of stage 4 of oncology. And, unfortunately, this is not uncommon. Since only a grown pancreatic tumor makes itself felt. Symptoms of the pathology are provoked by the spread of cancer to other tissues.
However, there are signs that make it possible to suspect a disease at the initial stage. They completely depend on the localization of the pathology.
Initial problems with the pancreas are characterized, the symptoms are as follows:
- head oncology - weight loss, jaundice, fat in the stool, abdominal pain;
- cancer of the body, tail - weight loss, abdominal discomfort.
The pathology developing in the head of the gland makes itself felt much earlier than the oncology that arose in other departments of the pancreas.
Key features
Basically, if we talk about a pancreatic tumor, the following symptoms can be observed:
- Epigastric pain discomfort . These are the very first complaints of the patient. Communication with food intake, as a rule, is not traced. The pain is much worse at night. When localizing pathologies in the head of the gland, discomfort occurs in the right hypochondrium and the navel. If the tail is damaged, the pancreas body, the patient experiences pain in the lower back, interscapular region. Discomfort when changing position can change the intensity. Therefore, this pain is often mistakenly attributed to sciatica.
- Paraneoplastic signs . The patient experiences weakness, loss of appetite. Often there is an aversion to fatty, meaty foods. The patient refuses favorite intoxications - caffeine, alcohol, tobacco. Characteristically, weight loss, sleep disturbance, Trusso syndrome (migration of peripheral vein thrombosis) are characteristic.
- Obstructive jaundice . There is compression of the bile duct. As a result, the patient's urine and skin become darker. Fecal matter brightens. There is a skin itch. The gall bladder is stretched to the touch, painless.
- Violation of the digestion of food . The necessary amount of enzymes and bile does not enter the intestinal lumen. As a result, the patient quickly loses weight. He has a tendency to diarrhea.
- Feeling of heaviness . Squeezing the duodenum causes the patient to feel full of the stomach, even with a small amount of food eaten. Possible burping rotten. Sometimes vomiting of food joins.
- Bleeding . If the tumor grows through the walls of the stomach, this symptom may be observed in the patient. It is characterized by vomiting of a mushy black mass or feces of a coal-black color.
- Symptoms of hypersplenism . They appear when the tumor is squeezed by the splenic vein. The patient develops leukopenia, anemia, thrombocytopenia. Perhaps an increase in the size of the spleen - splenomegaly.
- Signs of diabetes . If the insulin-producing islets of the gland are destroyed, then the patient experiences characteristic symptoms. There is a strong thirst, itching of the skin and mucous membranes, dry mouth.
- Ascites . This is a late sign of pathology. It indicates metastases in the peritoneum, portal vein.
It is difficult to call any of the given symptoms specific to oncology. Therefore, the discomfort associated with the pancreas is a mandatory reason to consult a doctor.
Diagnostic Methods
Only an examination can detect a tumor.
Even despite the presence of symptoms (which may characterize another pathology), the following studies are carried out:
- Ultrasound This is a safe and highly informative method. Such a study allows you to determine the presence of an inflammatory process, reactive changes in the pancreas, its condition. Ultrasound examination reveals a tumor whose size exceeds 2 cm. In addition, the study gives an idea of the level of echogenicity. During the examination, the state of such tissue as the pancreatic parenchyma is determined. Ultrasound allows you to identify its structural changes.
- CT The examination gives a description of the size, location of the pathology, involvement of adjacent organs. The study is fairly reliable when a tumor is detected from 3 cm. However, CT is associated with x-ray irradiation. Therefore, it is often not recommended to carry it out.
- MRI High informativeness of the method is combined with a lower burden on the body.
- Biopsy. This is the most reliable diagnosis of oncology. A specific area of the tumor is taken for examination, which is carefully examined under a microscope. The necessary material is taken in two ways. Under the control of ultrasound, a special needle is inserted into the tumor area. Can use the endoscopic method. A special thin tube is injected into the patient's mouth.
- Blood test . In oncology, an increase in a certain substance is detected in it. However, this characteristic may be symptomatic of other diseases.
If a cancer cell biopsy is detected, the diagnosis is considered confirmed. However, to determine the stage of the disease, additional examinations will be required: chest x-ray, liver ultrasound.
Pathology treatment
This disease belongs to the most difficult sections of oncology. Until today, doctors can not clearly answer how to cure the pancreas. Difficulties are associated with the elderly patients. In addition, patients have many concomitant diseases. Another factor that complicates the treatment is the definition of pathology in the later stages, when the tumor affects adjacent organs.
The main treatment is a pancreatic surgery. The consequences of this intervention depend on many factors, the main of which is the stage of pathology.
Applied, depending on the indications, and other methods of treatment:
- palliative surgery;
- radiation therapy;
- chemotherapy.
Surgery
By operation is meant Will's procedure. The part of the gland containing the tumor is removed from the patient. In addition to it, part of the stomach, duodenum, gall bladder, and lymph nodes that are located near the pancreas undergo the same procedure.
The need to remove so many organs is due to the anatomical location of the gland itself. The pancreas is closely adjacent to the above tissues. In this connection, the tumor spreads very quickly to adjacent organs. Their removal allows you to stop the growth of pathology.
Unfortunately, only 10–25% of cancer patients are recommended for pancreatic surgery. The consequences of surgery do not exclude mortality.
At the same time, statistics provide the following data, if we talk about patients with a diagnosis of pancreatic cancer:
- Without surgery, the average life expectancy of a patient is approximately 6 months.
- After surgery, this period increases, depending on the stage of the pathology, up to 1.5-2 years.
Palliative surgery
They allow you to:
- improve the quality of life;
- eliminate pain discomfort;
- fight obstructive jaundice;
- restore patency of the duodenum.
There are several methods by which palliative surgery can be performed. The pancreatic tumor, unfortunately, is not removed. However, the quality of life is improving slightly.
The main methods include:
- Endoscopic stent placement. A special tube or wire frame is introduced into the lumen of the narrowed duct. He stretches the bile duct. Thus, the functioning of the duct is restored. Bile is freely excreted.
- Drainage installation. The meaning of the operation is similar to the previous one. Only the passability of bile is not restored, but is displayed outside - in a specially designed bag.
Analgesics allow you to fight pain. With severe discomfort, the patient is prescribed narcotic painkillers:
- "Promedol".
- "Morphine."
- Omnopon.
Additional treatments
To combat pancreatic oncology, a patient can be treated with the following types of radiation therapy:
- irradiation with bremsstrahlung;
- remote gamma therapy;
- fast electron irradiation.
Radiation therapy can be carried out before, after surgery, and sometimes instead. The life expectancy of the patient is 12-13 months. If radiation therapy is combined with palliative surgery, then the average lifespan is about 16 months.
Chemotherapy is used when it is impossible to conduct another treatment or to enhance the effect of the undertaken therapy. Unfortunately, this method allows only partial regression of the neoplasm to be achieved.
Pathology prognosis
In most cases, the diagnosis is established in an advanced stage. The patient already has clinical manifestations of such a pathology as a pancreatic tumor. The prognosis of this disease is unfavorable.
Patients die from rapidly increasing intoxication, cachexia, intestinal obstruction, obstructive jaundice and a number of other complications.
After the surgery, the five-year survival rate of patients (according to different authors) is 8-35%.
Pathology Prevention
How to cure the pancreas with oncology? Unfortunately, this is quite complicated. And sometimes it’s impossible. That is why every effort should be made to avoid the disease.
To do this, you should listen to simple recommendations:
- Stop smoking.
- Establish proper nutrition.
- Eliminate the harmful effects of the environment (asbestos dust).
- Timely treatment of diseases: pancreatitis, diabetes.
- Systematically undergo preventive examinations, especially in the presence of cysts, burdened by heredity.
Do not give a single chance of pathology to develop in your body. Be healthy!