What are the symptoms of late-stage pancreatic cancer?

Written by Liu Liang
Oncology
Updated on September 17, 2024
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Some common symptoms of advanced pancreatic cancer include abdominal pain and upper abdominal pain, and it is even possible to feel an obvious lump in the abdomen. Jaundice is also a common symptom. Some patients may also experience nausea, vomiting, abdominal bloating, and abdominal pain, even ascites, which is a sensation of abdominal fullness. They are unable to eat, and eating can worsen the bloating. These clinical manifestations are accompanied by clearly noticeable abdominal pain. There are also symptoms associated with distant organ metastasis, such as when metastasis to the lungs can cause shortness of breath, coughing, and even hemoptysis. Some patients may experience extensive abdominal metastasis, which can even lead to intestinal obstruction and other clinical presentations.

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Written by Liu Liang
Oncology
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The difference between pancreatic tumors and pancreatic cancer

Pancreatic tumors include benign and malignant tumors, with malignant pancreatic tumors commonly referred to as pancreatic cancer. Benign pancreatic tumors include insulinomas, pancreatic cysts, lipomas of the pancreas, or fibromas, which are relatively rare in clinical settings. Whether benign or malignant, including pancreatic cancer, symptoms can include upper abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting, and jaundice, among other clinical signs. However, distinguishing between benign and malignant tumors requires pathological examination.

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Written by Zhou Chen
Oncology
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Pancreatic cancer is a type of cancer that arises from the pancreas.

The causes of pancreatic cancer are not yet entirely clear, but its occurrence is associated with smoking, drinking alcohol, high-fat and high-protein diets, excessive consumption of coffee, environmental pollution, and genetic factors. Recent surveys have found that the incidence of pancreatic cancer is significantly higher among diabetics than in the general population. There is also evidence suggesting a certain relationship between chronic pancreatitis and the development of pancreatic cancer, with a notably increased risk of pancreatic cancer among patients with chronic pancreatitis. Additionally, many other factors such as occupation, environment, and geography are somewhat related to the occurrence of this disease. Pancreatic cancer is not a cancer that comes from anger or emotional causes.

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Written by Liu Liang
Oncology
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What should be done if pancreatic cancer has not metastasized?

If pancreatic cancer has not metastasized, then it might be in an early stage. In this situation, consultation with a hepatobiliary surgeon is necessary for the surgeon to assess whether curative surgery can be performed. If the surgeon determines that curative surgery is feasible, this should be the preferred treatment method. Post-operatively, based on whether there are symptoms of recurrence or metastasis, such as vascular tumor thrombi or lymph node metastases, decisions concerning the necessity for adjuvant radiotherapy or chemotherapy should be made based on these high-risk factors for recurrence and metastasis.

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Written by Liu Liang
Oncology
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What department should pancreatic cancer patients see?

For the treatment of pancreatic cancer, if it is in the early stages and the surgeons assess that surgery is feasible, surgical treatment is the main approach. If surgery is not feasible according to the surgeon's assessment, or if the cancer is found at an advanced stage without the opportunity for surgery, then the treatment involves chemotherapy or some symptomatic supportive treatments. Therefore, patients at their first consultation should initially visit the Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery to see if surgery is possible, and then consult the Department of Oncology for further treatment steps, especially for patients who do not have the opportunity for surgery, who need to visit the Department of Oncology.

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Written by Liu Liang
Oncology
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What to do about pancreatic cancer pain?

Pancreatic cancer pain is common in clinical practice, with some patients presenting with abdominal pain as their initial symptom. Pain management can be symptomatic, using analgesics for relief. For mild pain, tramadol can be chosen for pain relief. For severe pain, opioid analgesics such as morphine sustained-release tablets, oxycodone sustained-release tablets, or morphine tablets can be used for pain relief. These are merely symptomatic treatments. The fundamental approach involves surgical or oncological treatments like chemotherapy or radiotherapy to treat pancreatic cancer. Only when the tumor is controlled will the symptoms of pain be alleviated.