Thursday (6 / 10) morning, came startling news. Steve Jobs, the figures behind the creation of a personal computer, iPod, iPhone and the iPhone, deceased at age 56 from pancreatic cancer.Last week, the world has lost a Nobel Prize in medicine this year, Ralph Steinman (68), as a result of the same disease.
Pancreatic cancer is actually a rare form of cancer. The American Cancer Society estimates, the disease was found in 230,000 people per year worldwide of which 37,000 cases in the United States.
However, according Aru W Sudoyo, hematology oncology medical specialists from the Faculty of Medicine of the University of Indonesia, the disease is classified as malicious. Moreover, usually discovered only after an advanced stage.
Pancreas, as the site of the National Cancer Institute, the institution of 6 inches (15 centimeters). This body is in the abdomen between the stomach and back. Pancreas adjacent to the liver, bladder, small intestine, duodenum, and spleen.
Functioning pancreas produces enzymes nodes with trypsin, amylase, lipase and help break down proteins, carbohydrates and fats from food. The juice is poured into the duodenum. The pancreas also produces insulin, and a number of hormones that the body use and store energy from food aid.
The tumors are uncontrolled growth of cells in the body. Tumors of the pancreas is a benign (cysts) and a malignant (cancerous).
Benign tumors are usually not life threatening, can be operated and discharged, do not spread (metastasize) to other parts of the body. The cancer may be harmful to the soul, can be discarded, but usually grow back, invade and damage tissues surrounding organs, and spread to other parts of the body. Moreover, also leads to accumulation of fluid in the abdominal cavity (ascites).
Unexplained
When we are exposed to infection, bacteria are usually relatively easy to find the cause. But not so with cancer.
Doctors can not always explain why a person suffering from cancer, while others do not. Or, what is the cause of cancer-related.
Just only known risk factors that can lead to cancer. For pancreatic cancer, says Aru, risk factors, among others, smoking. This habit is most closely associated with the occurrence of pancreatic cancer. ”Heavy smokers who are most at risk of developing pancreatic cancer,” he said. Diabetics are also at risk of developing pancreatic cancer. People with a family history of cancer, patients with inflammation of the pancreas (pancreatitis) in a long time, and people who are obese (overweight).
Other risk factors studied are high in animal fat consumption, and drinking lots of alcohol.
However, many people suffering from pancreatic cancer despite the fact that no risk factors above. Conversely, many people have risk factors but does not get cancer.
At the beginning of the growth of pancreatic cancer usually causes no symptoms. Therefore the disease is also called the “silent killer”. Typically, such Aru, observed symptoms of advanced stage, ie stage III or IV. Among others, the color yellow (jaundice), or on the skin, eyes, stool or urine. Other symptoms, pain in the intestines, it is often the cause of cancer late to overcome, because at first mistaken for gastroenteritis (MAG).Nausea, vomiting, lethargy, fatigue, loss of appetite and weight loss are common symptoms that mark cancer.
“Only a few lucky people had known pancreatic cancer at an early stage. That is, if the cancer is blocking the bile ducts, so the patient received an early yellow,” said Aru.
Staging
Stage set based on tumor size, or all other tissues invaded or has spread to other parts of the body.
Stage set based on tumor size, or all other tissues invaded or has spread to other parts of the body.
Phase I, if new tumors in the pancreas. Phase II, if the tumor has invaded surrounding tissue, but not the blood vessels and spread to the lymph nodes. Phase III, the tumor has invaded the blood vessels near the pancreas. As for Phase IV, when the cancer has spread to relatively distant organs like the liver or lungs.
Inspection done through blood and laboratory tests, physical examination, CT scan, ultrasound, endoscopy, MRI and biopsy (removal of tissue with a fine needle).
The site mentioned Pancreatic Cancer Action Network, the most common form of pancreatic cancer is adenocarcinoma (including 75 per cent cases of pancreatic cancer). There are also adenosquamous carcinoma, glucagonoma, and somatostatinoma.
Types are rare, among others, acinar cell carcinoma, giant cell tumor, mucinous cystadenocarcinoma, pancreatoblastoma, and serous cystadenocarcinoma.
Treatment is with surgery, among others. This is done when the cancer is discovered in the early stages. By removing the tumor, the chances of recovery are large enough.
Treatment is with surgery, among others. This is done when the cancer is discovered in the early stages. By removing the tumor, the chances of recovery are large enough.
This type of surgery depends on the location of the tumor growth.Throw the operation at the head of the pancreatic tumor called a Whipple procedure. This is the most common form of surgery. If necessary, your doctor will also have the tissues nearby organs, such as some of the duodenum, bladder, bile ducts, most of the stomach, spleen and nearby lymph nodes.
If the stage is advanced, usually performed chemotherapy or radiotherapy (radiation). It can reduce pain and improve the quality of life of patients. The general life expectancy of six months to one year.
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