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Pancreatic cancer
What is the cause of pancreatic cancer?
Currently, the exact cause of pancreatic cancer, a malignant tumor of the digestive system, is not clear in clinical practice. Clinical evidence has confirmed that the occurrence of pancreatic cancer is related to the following factors: 1. The incidence of pancreatic cancer is increased among people who smoke heavily and drink alcohol for a long period of time. 2. A long-term diet high in fats and low in fiber, leading to obesity, can also result in a high incidence of pancreatic cancer. 3. People who are exposed to chemical carcinogens like benzene over a long period tend to have a higher incidence of pancreatic cancer compared to the normal population. 4. People with newly developed type 2 diabetes but no family history of diabetes should also be cautious of the potential occurrence of pancreatic cancer. 5. Groups of people with a history of chronic familial pancreatitis also have an increased incidence of pancreatic cancer.
Can late-stage pancreatic cancer cause vomiting blood?
For patients with advanced pancreatic cancer, there is a possibility of vomiting blood. Vomiting blood is one of the manifestations of upper gastrointestinal bleeding. In some cases, patients with pancreatic cancer may experience upper gastrointestinal bleeding: 1. Stress ulcers, in patients with advanced tumors, sometimes occur due to extreme physical debilitation, leading to stress ulcers. These ulcers cause localized erosion of the gastric mucosa, eventually leading to bleeding; 2. Thrombocytopenia, for patients with advanced pancreatic cancer, most need to undergo systemic chemotherapy. Chemotherapy can suppress the function of the bone marrow, leading to a reduction in peripheral white blood cells and platelets. When platelets decrease to a certain level, the body's clotting functions may be impaired, concurrently leading to upper gastrointestinal bleeding.
Will the routine blood test be abnormal for pancreatic cancer?
Pancreatic cancer is a malignant tumor of the digestive system. In the early stages, most pancreatic cancer patients generally have normal routine blood test indicators and show no abnormalities. This is because the early lesions are localized, without invasion or metastasis, and therefore have minimal impact on the overall body, not causing abnormalities in routine blood test indicators. As the disease progresses, patients in the middle and late stages of pancreatic cancer often exhibit abnormalities in routine blood test indicators, mainly manifested as abnormalities in hemoglobin levels. Patients experience mild, moderate, or severe anemia. Some patients may also have metastasis to the bone marrow, liver, spleen, etc. Clinically, there can also be a decrease in white blood cells and platelets. Due to the impact of pancreatic cancer lesions on liver function, there can also be abnormalities in coagulation function.
What are the precursors of pancreatic cancer?
Pancreatic cancer is a malignant tumor that occurs in the digestive system clinically. Due to the hidden location of the pancreas, early symptoms of pancreatic cancer are generally not obvious. When individuals with a family history of pancreatic cancer exhibit unexplained fatigue or abdominal discomfort, or rapidly progressive jaundice symptoms in a short period, and if patients also have diseases such as diabetes, the possibility of pancreatic cancer should be considered. An abdominal CT scan, MRI, and other radiological examinations should be completed quickly. For identified pancreatic space-occupying lesions, early biopsy through puncture or direct exploratory laparotomy should be performed as soon as possible for treatment.
Classification of the Malignancy of Pancreatic Cancer
Pancreatic cancer can also be described as a malignant tumor occurring in the pancreas, generally with a high malignancy level, resulting in a higher probability of patient death. To understand the classification of pancreatic cancer, it can be categorized based on the location of occurrence within the pancreas and the pathological type. Based on the location of occurrence, pancreatic cancer can generally be divided into cancers of the pancreatic head, body, tail, and entire pancreas. According to the pathological types of pancreatic cancer, it can be classified into ductal adenocarcinoma, and also some special types of ductal-origin cancers, which generally include pleomorphic carcinoma, mucinous carcinoma, adenosquamous carcinoma, mucinous cystadenocarcinoma, and signet ring cell carcinoma, among others.
What are the abnormalities in blood indicators for pancreatic cancer?
Blood markers for pancreatic cancer often show multiple abnormalities. Pancreatic cancer itself can lead to an increase in related tumor markers. The two most common markers are carcinoembryonic antigen and carbohydrate antigen 19-9, especially carbohydrate antigen 19-9, which has a certain specificity. If pancreatic cancer progresses further, leading to compression of the biliary system, corresponding jaundice indicators can increase. This includes an increase in total bilirubin and direct bilirubin, as well as alkaline phosphatase and gamma-GTP. The most common metastasis site for pancreatic cancer is the liver, and after liver metastasis occurs, corresponding liver transaminases can increase.
Five Early Symptoms of Pancreatic Cancer
The five major symptoms of early pancreatic cancer patients include abdominal pain, jaundice, abdominal distension, diarrhea, fatigue, and more, among which the occurrence of abdominal pain is higher. Many patients with early pancreatic cancer experience persistent and hidden abdominal pain without other clinical symptoms, which often leads to missed opportunities for early diagnosis; Secondly, jaundice is also a main manifestation of early pancreatic cancer, particularly in the head of the pancreas, mainly due to the tumor causing obstructive jaundice; Thirdly, abdominal distension, which is generally a mild distension and often does not significantly attract clinical attention; Fourthly, patients often feel a general fatigue, which is difficult to alleviate with ordinary treatment methods; Lastly, diarrhea, which is often due to abnormal secretion of digestive fluids caused by the pathology, leading to diarrhea.
What should I do if I can't stop vomiting due to pancreatic cancer?
Firstly, we need to ascertain the cause of the vomiting and can provide gastric protection and antiemetic treatment accordingly. If the vomiting is due to biliary obstruction caused by pancreatic cancer, resulting in severe jaundice and intense vomiting, in such cases, we can also place a stent surgically to drain the bile. The jaundice might be relieved afterwards, and accordingly, the vomiting symptoms might also be alleviated. Another aspect is, if the vomiting is caused by the tumor itself due to pancreatic cancer, we need to employ chemotherapy or some targeted or antiangiogenic treatments to control the tumor itself, and only then might the symptoms of vomiting be relieved.
Early symptoms and signs of pancreatic cancer
Pancreatic cancer is a malignant tumor of the digestive system and does not have a high clinical incidence rate. Early symptoms of pancreatic cancer are not typical; some patients experience abdominal pain, primarily a persistent episodic pain that may radiate to the shoulder and back. Additionally, early-stage pancreatic head cancer patients may exhibit jaundice, often caused by obstructive jaundice due to tumor compression. Besides this, patients may also have clay-colored stools or urine the color of strong tea. Beyond these symptoms, early-stage patients exhibit no other signs. When typical clinical manifestations occur, they are generally indicative of mid to late-stage pancreatic cancer. Precursors to pancreatic cancer include persistent hidden pain in the shoulder or a stiff pain in the back. This continuous pain, often caused by the invasion of the abdominal nervous plexus, results in radiating pain.
How is pancreatic cancer caused?
Currently, there is no consensus in clinical practice regarding the causes of pancreatic cancer, but some studies have found that certain factors contribute to its high incidence. For example, patients with diabetes have a higher incidence of pancreatic cancer compared to those without diabetes, and having chronic pancreatitis and other diseases also leads to a higher occurrence of pancreatic cancer. Additionally, factors such as genetic mutations are also associated with the development of pancreatic cancer. Some research has found that there is a certain correlation between genetic factors and the occurrence of pancreatic cancer. Once pancreatic cancer develops, it leads to a variety of symptoms in clinical settings.