Pancreatic Cancer Treatment

You can go for any one of the several pancreatic cancer treatment methods available for treatment of this cancer.

The malignancy of the pancreas is called as the pancreatic cancer. This disease is termed “silent” as it seldom shows any symptoms in its early stage.

The pancreatic cancer symptoms shown in the later stage are also mistaken to be those caused by other disorders or diseases.

For example when the tumor blocks the common bile duct and bile cannot pass into the digestive system, the skin and whites of the eyes may become yellow like the jaundice.

The method of pancreatic cancer treatment opted totally depends on the patient condition and the stage of the cancer. The various methods or standard pancreatic cancer treatments include surgery, chemotherapy, radiation, and biological therapy or the immunotherapy. These pancreatic cancer treatment results differ from person to person.

Pancreatic Cancer Treatment with Surgery

This method of pancreatic cancer treatment is most commonly applied in patients of stage I cancer. During the diagnosis, only about 20% of pancreatic tumors can be removed by surgery. Also a part of the pancreas is removed by resection.

The standard surgical method of pancreatic cancer treatment is called the Whipple procedure which is more extensive form of surgery. This removes the part of the pancreas the surrounding areas and at times even the entire pancreas may be removed along with other organs in advanced stage disease.

Before or after the surgery the other methods of pancreatic cancer treatment like the radiation and chemotherapy need to be used in order to increase the survival chances of the patient.

Radiation Therapy

The method of treatment which involves the use of high power energy rays is radiation therapy. These rays help in shrinking or killing the cancer cells. They are focused on specific area or region through a machine. Efforts are made to minimize the damage caused to the healthy cells.

Though radiation therapy is not given to the entire body like the chemotherapy the patients do become weak in spite of the treatment being localized. This affect is due to the side effects which are temporary though.

Pancreatic Cancer with Biological or Immunotherapy

This form of therapy involves using drugs to boost the body’s natural immune response (its ability to fight disease). Examples of these drugs are interferon and monoclonal antibodies. They work with the body’s immune system to block the growth of cancer cells. Biological therapy can be used on its own or in conjunction with other therapies.

Chemotherapy

The pancreatic cancer in its advanced stage spreads to various other organs or regions in such cases the surgery is not the only solution. For example when the disease had made its way in the liver than the left option to treat the cancer is chemotherapy.

This standard method of pancreatic cancer treatment uses the anti cancer drugs to control the spread of the disease and to kill or shrink the cancer cells and to release the obstruction of the bile duct by the tumor also to relieve symptoms such as pain. A combination of drugs may be used in this treatment.

Immunotherapy

Apart from the above mentioned standard methods of pancreatic cancer treatment the immunotherapy can also be used. Though this results in side effects some patients are found to have relieved from the symptoms and helped in a way to control the spread of the disease.

The side affects of this pancreatic cancer treatment include those much similar to flu like the fever, aches, weakness, fatigue, and chills. In some patients certain skin problems are also experienced.