In many cases, pancreatic cancer is identified in the end stage, or stage IV. End stage pancreatic cancer is accompanied with jaundice (a yellowing of the skin and eyes), pain in the abdomen, weight loss, and depression. Since pancreatic cancer spreads rapidly, 95% of patients diagnosed with this disease do not survive for 5 years.
Pancreatic Cancer: An Overview
The pancreas is an organ located in the upper abdomen, behind the lower portion of your stomach. The pancreas has two main functions, namely to produce and release enzymes that aid digestion and to release hormones that regulate blood sugar levels (insulin and glucagon).
Pancreatic cancer is cancer that begins in the tissues of pancreas. This cancer may develop either in the exocrine tissues or endocrine tissue of the organ. Cancer that originates in the exocrine glands of the pancreas is the most common type of pancreatic cancer. It comprises 95% of all pancreatic cancer cases. Also, more than 70% cancers of the pancreas arise from the head and neck segment of the pancreas.
Pancreatic cancer is more common in men than in women. People with a family history of pancreatic cancer, as well as people suffering from obesity, diabetes and chronic pancreatitis are at risk of developing pancreatic cancer. Other risk factors for cancer of the pancreas include smoking, older age, and an unhealthy diet.
Symptoms of End Stage Pancreatic Cancer
Pancreatic cancer is an aggressive type of cancer that rapidly spreads. It is typically asymptomatic in its initial stages and is most often diagnosed when it reaches the end stage. According to medical data, 6 percent of cancer-related deaths are caused by pancreatic cancer. Also, this type of cancer is the fourth leading cause of cancer-related deaths.
Pancreatic cancer first metastasizes to the nearby lymph nodes. Then, the cancerous cells spread to the liver, lungs, stomach, duodenum and colon. In rare cases, pancreatic cancer spreads to the skin, brain and bones. At the time of diagnosis, metastasizes to nearby tissues are found in more than 25% patients with pancreatic cancer whilst in around 52% patients the cancer has spread to distant organs.
The end stage of pancreatic cancer is also called metastatic pancreatic cancer or stage 4 pancreatic cancer. The end stage of pancreatic cancer is diagnosed when the cancer has spread to other organs. This stage of cancer of the pancreas causes non-specific and vague symptoms that often resemble symptoms of other conditions.
Common symptoms of end stage pancreatic cancer include:
- Jaundice
- Sharp pain in the upper abdomen
- Sudden weight loss
- Severe skin itching
- Nausea
- Vomiting
- Dizziness
- Bloating
- Diarrhea
- Depression
Diagnosis and Treatment of End Stage Pancreatic Cancer
In order to diagnose pancreatic cancer, a doctor must rule out other diseases accompanied with symptoms similar to those of pancreatic cancer. The diagnosis of pancreatic cancer includes a physical exam, blood test, and imaging tests like ultrasound, CT scan and MRI scan of the abdomen. To confirm the diagnosis, the doctor will perform a biopsy, and take a tissue sample.
End stage pancreatic cancer is not operable because the tumor will already have spread throughout the body. Instead, the end stage of pancreatic cancer is treated with chemotherapy which involves medications and intravenous injections. Chemotherapy is given to control the pain and prolong life for patients with end stage pancreatic cancer. In addition, steps will be taken to make patients as comfortable as possible during this time.
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