5 things to know about pancreatic cancer

Mayo Clinic Comprehensive Cancer Center Blog News, information and stories from Mayo Clinic’s cance ^ | 11/22/21 | Nicole Brudos Ferrara

[DallasBiff]

"It's not a particularly common cancer," says Mark Truty, M.D., a surgical oncologist at Mayo Clinic. "The lifetime risk of pancreatic cancer for any given patient without any predisposing risk is only 1 to 3%."

According to the National Cancer Institute, pancreatic cancer accounts for 3.2% of all new cancer cases, but it causes nearly 8% of all cancer deaths. And the five-year survival rate for pancreatic cancer is just 10.8%.

Here are five things everyone should know about this deadly cancer:

Pancreatic cancer is aggressive and causes nonspecific symptoms.

[Shortstop7]

My Dad had about 60 days from diagnosis. Worst period of my life watching that happen. Horrible disease.

[logi_cal869]

Thanks for that. Long story, but D3 appears to have been a critical factor for me.

I’ll add this to my regimen.

[Myrddin]

My classmate has been fighting pancreatic cancer for about 18 months. It took months of chemo and radiation to qualify for a Whipple procedure. I wasn't real familiar with that. He had the procedure and recovered slowly. His post surgical scans revealed that it wasn't 100% successful, but vastly improved his CA 19-9 and CEA test results. My lack of familiarity with the Whipple procedure has been remedied. At the conclusion of an ERCP with biopsy in April I learned that I have an adenocarcinoma of the ampulla of Vater in the presence of high-grade dysplasia (HCC). The HCC is hepatocellular carcinoma. Two separate labs evaluated the biopsy and certified it as malignant. The fix? A Whipple procedure. Mine is scheduled for June 25th. My surgeon plans to spare my pyloric valve (exiting the stomach). My common bile duct is ballooned like a sock. That gets snipped just below the liver. The duodenum will get snipped about 5 centimeters downstream of where the ampulla connects to the duodenum. Once snipped, the pancreas is beheaded and the duodenum is stretched up and sewn to the exposed body of the pancreas. A small hole is cut downstream of the pancreatic connection and the dangling bile duct is stitched onto the hole so bile can dribble in. A bit further downstream, another cut is made and the fragment of duodenum beyond the pyloric valve is stitched onto the duodenum. The operation runs 4 to 12 hours depending on problems encountered. Real time pathology is performed on the removed duodenum, pancreas, bile duct and ampulla to ensure "clear margins" with no cancer have been achieved via the carving. It's a major "kitchen remodel".

What isn't known until the cutting begins is how much further the cancer has progressed beyond the ampulla. The surgeon who took the biopsy placed a plastic stent to hold th ampulla open. My bile and pancreatic enzymes were inflating the bile duct and raising alkaline phosphatase liver enzymes as detected in a blood test. The only outward symptoms I had was some digestive problems and itching on my back and lower legs. A blood test for an insurance policy started the run down that rabbit hole that revealed the cancer. It wasn't something that would have been picked up on a routine physical. Blood tests (ALP/GGT), liver ultrasound (found gallstones), MRCP (found gallstones and dilated common bile duct), CT (found gallstones and a node on my right lung), ERCP (found the tumor at the ampulla). My gallbladder was removed before the ERCP and contrast was flushed down the bile duct. It drained slowly into the intestine suggesting a blockage at the ampulla. The ERCP confirmed not only blockage, but a malignant tumor.

I'm working at a rapid pace to get a big demo ready for some generals to observe in early August. Thus far no impediment to maintaining my work. The long incision in my gut and kitchen remodel will impact my performance for a while post June 25.

[The_Media_never_lie]

She was an exceptional lady and person. How could an elementary school teacher be brilliant? She could remember 30 years ago with amazing clarity and remember what family members of friends has said to her. She chose the nurturing role and had a good life. A lady of faith. Miss her, but still amazed at her exemplary life!

[mewzilla]

Deep State is screwing with medical coding for a reason...

[mewzilla]

Just published in March, possibly related, definitely a modified limited hangout...

Acute Pancreatitis Induced by COVID-19 Vaccine: A Systematic Review

Pancreatitis is a risk factor for pancreatic cancer.

But also note this bit...

...Notably, the rare occurrences of vaccine-induced pancreatitis extend beyond COVID-19 vaccines, with reports also documenting associations with measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR), human papillomavirus (HPV), and other viral vaccinations...

Bold is mine.

[wbslws]

I hope the Lord saves her from this disease and she goes on to server the Lord instead of Satan.
Jamie Raskin had his chance but went straight back to serving Satan.

[Lazamataz]

Ping

[joesbucks]

Why do I need to know about pancreatic cancer?

[Jane Long]

$hot $hills most offended.

[Lazamataz]

Why do I need to know about pancreatic cancer?

It's very important you know the signs.

[joesbucks]

And again, why?

[Lazamataz]

It’s very important.

[joesbucks]

Could be. But why me?

[Lazamataz]

Just keep a close eye on possible symptoms, ok? This is crucial.

[KC Burke]

I had a surgeon who had a Board Certified Oncological Surgery Fellowship from Sloan-Kittering and was the Chief Surgeon for a Branch of MD Anderson Cancer Center. In dealing with my stomach cancer surgery we had a number of discussions about gastric cancer treatments in general.

I asked about the specific issues with pancreatic surgery and he said the pancreas had very little structure and it was like operating on a stick of softened butter.

[joesbucks]

I thought pancreatic cancer was largely without symptoms until too late. Are you wising it on me again?

[Lazamataz]

I thought pancreatic cancer was largely without symptoms until too late. Are you wising it on me again?

Yes, by what you mean as wising.... I am making you wise to it. Perhaps you will get early screening?

[joesbucks]

Well according to the article, it’s difficult to screen for and by time it is detectable it has already spread making it a stage 4 situation. Is that what you mean by early detection? A probable death wish?

[Lazamataz]

Please monitor your health closely, especially for pancreatic cancer.