Treating Pancreatic Cancer

Posted by Hollie Williams on March 22nd, 2019

It is important to be honest about the facts. Treating pancreatic cancer is an uphill task. So far, between 20 and 30 percent of patients diagnosed with pancreatic cancer are diagnosed early enough to use surgery for treatment. And among those, only about 20 percent can be cured. This is as a result of the pancreas and its natural tendency to fight chemical destruction.

Many times, the cancer has already begun to spread before it is even found. The location of the pancreas behind other organs also makes it difficult to detect early. It must still be treated once found and the options include:

•    Surgery – It is recommended to patients still in the early stages and if all of the tumor can be safely removed. Pancreatic cancer surgery stands as the best option for curing cancer even though it is a difficult procedure to endure.

•    Chemotherapy and radiation therapy – Chemotherapy uses a mix of drugs depending on the size and location of the tumor and the patient’s health. It may sometimes cause the tumor to shrink enough for it to be taken out completely using surgery. Radiation therapy utilizes X-rays to destroy cancer cells. These two are usually used concurrently but radiation may sometimes be introduced before or afterchemotherapy.

•    Targeted therapy and immunotherapy – Targeted therapy focuses on the genetic mutations in cancer cells that make them grow and metastasize. Typically, the drugs used for this are monoclonal antibodies or small-molecule drugs. Monoclonal antibodies target the outside of cancer cells and can trigger the immune system to launch an attack on the cancer. Small-molecule drugs target the structures inside cells. The whole process is known as immunotherapy and is aimed at awakening the immune system to fight the cancer and any other diseases or infections that may come along. It, however, takes longer to have an effect compared to the other treatment methods.

As researchers dig deeper to find better treatment options for pancreatic cancer patients, more clinical trials are available for patients. Participating in such trials improves the outcomes for pancreatic cancer patients. Statistics may be rising slowly, with five-year survival rates having risen from 5 percent to 9 percent within 10 years, but they are rising nonetheless and that is good news.

About Author

The Sandler-Kenner Foundation was started by Gregory A. Echt, M.D. and his wife, Susan T. Echt, after they lost two of their dear friends, Michael and Peter, to premature deaths from pancreatic cancer.

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Hollie Williams

About the Author

Hollie Williams
Joined: December 24th, 2017
Articles Posted: 25

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