The pancreas is a gland located behind the stomach and in front of the spine. It is responsible for releasing enzymes that aid in digestion and hormones that help regulate blood sugar levels.
Pancreatic cancer usually affects the part of the pancreas responsible for producing pancreatic juices and spreads quickly to nearby organs.
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Does Pancreatic Cancer have any Symptoms?
Although this disease can be referred to as a silent one, it does not mean that it is asymptomatic. The signs of pancreatic symptoms are often mistaken for those of metabolic disorders.
However, we should distinguish between two types of symptoms related to this cancer. These signs can be classified into two main categories, which are:
Early symptoms of tumor
Usually, diabetes is the first common symptom of pancreatic cancer. This symptom can be associated with:
- Weight loss
- Jaundice
- Ache in the upper abdomen
- Back pain
Advanced stages Symptoms
Symptoms of the advanced stage include:
- Upper abdominal pain that spreads to the back
- appetite loss or unintended weight loss
- Depression
- diabetes with new onset
- Blood clots, fatigue, and pallor
How to diagnose it?
Pancreatic cancer expands rapidly to adjacent organs. It is rarely detected in its early stages. However, some screening steps for people with pancreatic cysts or a family history of pancreatic cancer would be efficient. Indeed, a CT scan might aid in detecting the disease at an earlier stage.
Types of treatment in the best hospital in Istanbul Turkey
Different types of surgery and treatment are available to treat pancreatic cancer. These therapies may include surgery, chemotherapy, radiotherapy, drug treatment, or pancreas transplant surgery.
Chemotherapy
Chemotherapy destroys actively proliferating cells such as cancer cells, thus blocking the progression and spread of the disease.
Drug treatment
Medications, which may be oral or intravenous, are administered by the physician. The drugs help to eliminate cancer cells in the pancreas and those that have spread to other organs.
Combination of therapies (Palliative Care)
The combination of chemotherapy and radiation therapy is recommended by the medical team. Pancreatic cancer, which spreads to organs close to the pancreas, is treated with this technique. Tumors can be reduced before or after surgery by radiation therapy.
Surgical treatment
Surgical removal of a malignant tumor of the exocrine pancreas is a very delicate operation, usually only feasible in the early stages of the disease (especially I and II),and only if the tumor mass occupies surgically accessible sites.
Removing a tumor from the pancreas means not only removing the tumor mass, but also the part of the gland affected by the neoplasm.
The choice of the type of surgery depends exclusively on the location of the tumor.
Pancreatic cancer surgery in Turkey: Risks & survival rate
The surgeon can completely get rid of pancreatic cancer if it is discovered at an early stage. However, he can prescribe palliative treatment to relieve the symptoms of this disease if the cancer has spread.
What are the factors that affect the Survival Rate?
In Turkey, in hospitals and clinics that offer this type of cancer treatment, the survival rate relies on the following factors:
- Whether the tumor can be removed by surgery or not
- The stage of cancer (the size of the tumor and whether cancer has spread to other parts of the body)
- The patient’s overall health
- Whether cancer has just been diagnosed or has recurred
What are the risks of the surgery?
The risks of surgery for pancreatic cancer include:
- Bleeding and the possible need for a blood transfusion. This can be managed by the medical team
- Getting an infection such as a chest or wound infection. Some antibiotics can be given to reduce this risk
- Development of an allergy due to general anesthesia
How much does pancreatic cancer treatment cost in Turkey?
We help our patients to pay advantageous prices without compromising the quality of the treatment that they undergo.
We are partnered with highly-rated clinics and hospitals in Istanbul, Izmir, Ankara, and Antalya. So be reassured, with Turquie Santé, you will get the best pancreatic cancer treatment at an affordable cost.
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Pancreatic cancer, also called pancreatic adenocarcinoma, is cancer that affects the pancreatic gland. The reason this cancer is difficult to treat is because the pancreas is located near the stomach, liver, and intestine. Therefore, its symptoms are often difficult to interpret as they are confused with several diseases. Often, the disease is not detected until the metastasis phase.
Yes, if it is detected in the early phase.
Surgery is the main treatment for pancreatic cancer in our clinics in Turkey. However, surgical treatment is not possible for all patients. Chemotherapy or radiation therapy may, however, be possible.
Most pancreatic adenocarcinomas are the result of a mutation in the KRAS oncogenes (the genes that regulate cells division). These tumors are often surrounded by fibrous tissue which forms a barrier and prevents immune cells from attacking cancer cells. Therefore, both immunotherapy and targeted therapy are ineffective against pancreatic cancer.
Palliative care is treatment aimed at improving the quality of life of a patient with advanced cancer.
