Prevention of Pancreatic Cancer

Mrs Hsu*, age 47 has been a caregiver for 12 years to her husband Mr. Hsu, diagnosed with rare neuroendocrine cancer. Read how they both took control of his cancer journey and became a firm believer that with good knowledge and support, we can help a patient survive more than 4-6 months. I am caregiver to my husband Henry*. Some 12 years ago, he was diagnosed with a rare cancer, a pancreatic gastrinoma neuroendocrine tumour (NET).  He was 50 at that time. His symptoms started with severe…

Shruthi Meera Shankar, 36 from Bangalore has been tackling Pancreatitis for the last seven years, a condition that has changed the course of her life. She discusses here how she has learnt to live with an almost incurable condition which increases her risk of Pancreatic Cancer. Please tell us a bit about the health condition you were diagnosed with and when you were diagnosed? Since 2013 I’ve been living with and managing Pancreatitis, although it was first diagnosed in 2014. Pancreatitis is an…

It has been almost three years since his wife passed away, but the void is hard to reconcile. In an emotional piece, Mario recounts the day when his wife Cheryl was diagnosed with advanced pancreatic cancer, and how family and friends rallied together to make her comfortable and happy in her last days. I first met my wife around Oct 84 in a church in Lucknow and after wooing her to hell and back married her in Oct 85. As a family we had our ups and downs but I daresay we had a beautiful…

We prepare ourselves for everything, but most of us are in denial about death. Aparna Das shares the one final lesson her father taught her during his last few days as he breathed his last. My father was diagnosed with Pancreatic Cancer in October 2017. Of course, he and all of us did everything in our capacity to save him. But he passed away on the 20th of April 2018. The three days leading to his death were probably the most painful that our family had faced collectively. But I have a…

Philip Jacob, 72, who has Stage 4 Pancreatic Cancer and has been under treatment since October 2017, demystifies life’s uncertainties as he narrates his own diagnosis of cancer. I strongly doubt that anyone of us believes in immortality. The adverb 'strongly' is used intentionally as experience has also exposed me to the existence of a lunatic fringe in every society. The real question, in my opinion, is how many of us even reflect on it except in brief moments when confronted up and personal…

And other questions on types of radiation therapy and tips to handle the effects of radiation therapy answered by Dr. Arpana Shukla, Senior Consultant Radiation Oncology, Sterling Cancer Center Ahmedabad 1.   What exactly is Radiation Therapy? Radiation Therapy is a clinical modality mainly dealing with the use of ionizing radiations for the treatment of cancer patients (and occasionally benign diseases). The primary goal is to deliver a precisely measured dose of radiation to a…

Pancreatic is known for not presenting any symptoms early on, making it one of the most difficult cancers to catch in early stages. Symptoms when they do show depend on the exact location and type of cancer. Symptoms are also non-specific and can be quite ambiguous. Symptoms can be due to other gastrointestinal conditions and often seem to come and go. These include: Abdominal and back pain; is usually worse after eating or while lying down. Sitting forward may seem to provide relief.…

The following are the standard treatment protocols for pancreatic cancer. The combination of treatment choices would depend on the specific case and the staging of the cancer. Chemotherapy : can be given before (neoadjuvant) or after (adjuvant) surgery to shrink the tumor. It can also be used to destroy cancer cells that may have spread. It can be given along with radiation called chemoradiotherapy. One or multiple drugs may be given in combination for better efficacy. Commonly used drugs for…

In most cases, due to late diagnosis of Pancreatic Cancer, the mean survival period is less than 6 months. In such cases, management of Pancreatic Cancer should include: Palliative chemotherapy helps reduce the symptoms of pancreatic cancer thus improving the quality of life for the patient. Be sure to discuss side-effects with your Oncologist before starting. Pain management with opioid analgesics, nerve blocks and morphine (at later stages). Relief of duct blockages using a stent during ERCP…

In order to diagnose Pancreatic Cancer and to determine the staging of Pancreatic Cancer, the following tests are used by medical professional  Blood test: To check on liver and kidney functioning. Tumor marker: Blood drawn to check levels of CA 19-9. Note: not all pancreatic cancers produce this marker! Ultrasound: Abdominal ultrasound is required to check pancreas and surrounding organs. Endoscopic ultrasound (EUS): This is an ultrasound guided endoscopy (insertion of a thin tube with a…