Pancreatic
Symptoms of pancreatic cancer include pain in the abdomen or back, loss of appetite, jaundice, weight loss, nausea, change in stool movements and a recent onset of diabetes.
However, as this disease rarely causes any symptoms in the early stages it’s often not detected until the cancer is advanced, making it very difficult to treat. The main treatment options are surgery (partial or whole removal of the section of the cancerous pancreas), Whipple’s procedure (for tumors located in the head of the pancreas), distal pancreatectomy (removal of cancers in the tail of the pancreas) chemotherapy or radiotherapy.
Risk factors for pancreatic cancer are complicated however, factors such as a family history of pancreatic cancer can be an indicator. Additionally, pancreatic cancer is more likely to occur in individuals who have long-standing diabetes. Other risk factors include having chronic pancreatitis, smoking, high intake of red/ processed meats and obesity. It has also been noted that slightly more men than women are diagnosed with pancreatic cancer and that African Americans have a high incidence of this cancer type.
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