1. Pancreatic Cancer
By Priya and Natasha

2. Summary
cells in the pancreas grown and divide uncontrollably forming a malignant tumor
main regions of the pancreas:
head, neck, body, tail
spreads rapidly, usually not detected until it's in later stages
most cancers are exocrine tumors
Can be diagnosed through CT scan, MRI, ultrasound
Onset generally occurs after age 45
the head can further be divided into the head proper and the uncinate process
fourth deadliest cancer diagnosis
most cancers are exocrine tumors - adenocarcinoma; neuroendocrine, or islet cell cancer are less common

3. Causes mutation or damage to pancreatic cells DNA
mutations may occur randomly or to responses to the environment
these cells continue to multiply and develop into a tumor
tumorous cells may spread
risk factors:
genetics
diabetes
smoking
diet
obesity
tumor cells spread- through the blood and lymphatic cells
exocrine- lines the ducts of the pancreas
endocrine- cancer forms in the hormone producing cells
genetics: higher risk if family member has it,
smoking- after 10 yrs chance goes all the way down
diet- processed meat has been linked, high diet of fruits and vegetables is good
obesity- exercise means half as likely to get it

4. Signs/Symptoms
signs and symptoms are hard to detect because the cancer is often painless till late stages have developed
cancer located at the head of the pancreas
weight loss
jaundice
dark urine
light colored stools
enlarged lymph nodes
cancer located at the body or tail of the pancreas
belly or back pain
If the duct draining bile into the intestine is blocked by pancreatic cancer, the stools may lose their brown color and become pale or clay-colored. Urine may become darker.

5. Treatment Surgery Ablative techniques
Potentially curative vs. palliative
Pancreaticoduodenectomy (Whipple Procedure)
Distal pancreatectomy
total pancreatectomy
unblocking the common bile duct
Ablative techniques
radiofrequency, microwave thermotherapy, cryosurgery
Embolization - try to block the blood flow to tumor cells
Radiation/ chemotherapy
surgery - curative surgery - can potentially cure, is usually done to treat cancers in the head of the pancreas
whipple procedure - for cancers of the head neck, and uncinate process
distal pancreatectomy - only remove tail of pancreas or tail +portion of the body, sometimes the spleen, NOT for exocrine because tumors have already spread
total - remove pancreas and spleen - develop diabetes and depend on insulin shots
cancers in the head of the pancreas can block the common bile duct
stent placement, bypass surgery

6. Bibliography http://www.cancer.org/cancer/pancreaticcancer/index
cancer/basics/causes/con