{"id":1240,"date":"2022-03-25T13:59:43","date_gmt":"2022-03-25T13:59:43","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.toplinemd.com\/omar-rashid\/?p=1240"},"modified":"2026-02-24T14:04:33","modified_gmt":"2026-02-24T14:04:33","slug":"pancreatic-cancer-diagnosis-symptoms-causes-and-everything-you-should-know","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.toplinemd.com\/omar-rashid\/pancreatic-cancer-diagnosis-symptoms-causes-and-everything-you-should-know\/","title":{"rendered":"Pancreatic Cancer Diagnosis: Symptoms and Causes"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">The pancreas is an organ that plays an important role in digestion and enzyme production to help the body digest proteins, carbohydrates, and fats. It also produces two crucial hormones, insulin, and glucagon.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Pancreatic cancer develops in the pancreatic tissues, and establishing a pancreatic cancer diagnosis may be difficult because of the organ\u2019s location. Due to this, most pancreatic cancers are only detected in their later stages.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Before diving into the details and exploring the <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.toplinemd.com\/omar-rashid\/surgical-oncology\/gist\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">treatment of pancreatic cancer<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">, we should tell you that if you have any questions or concerns regarding the disease, feel free to reach out to <\/span><a href=\"\/omar-rashid\/omar-rashid\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Dr. Omar Rashid<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">, who will strive to address all of your worries.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><b>Types of Pancreatic Cancer<\/b><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Before talking about pancreatic cancer diagnosis, you should know that there are two main types of the disease, based on the cells they originate from.<\/span><b><\/b><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><b>Pancreatic adenocarcinoma<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> is the most common cancer type. It starts in the exocrine cells, that are responsible for enzyme production.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li><b>Pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">are much less common, and they start in those endocrine cells which are responsible for hormone production.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><b>Leading Causes of Pancreatic Cancer<\/b><\/h2>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-1241 aligncenter\" src=\"https:\/\/www.toplinemd.com\/omar-rashid\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/132\/2022\/05\/Leading-Causes-of-Pancreatic-Cancer.jpg\" alt=\"Midsection of Man Holding Cigarette While Sitting Against Gray Background\" width=\"1000\" height=\"667\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.toplinemd.com\/omar-rashid\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/132\/2022\/05\/Leading-Causes-of-Pancreatic-Cancer-200x133.jpg 200w, https:\/\/www.toplinemd.com\/omar-rashid\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/132\/2022\/05\/Leading-Causes-of-Pancreatic-Cancer-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.toplinemd.com\/omar-rashid\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/132\/2022\/05\/Leading-Causes-of-Pancreatic-Cancer-400x267.jpg 400w, https:\/\/www.toplinemd.com\/omar-rashid\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/132\/2022\/05\/Leading-Causes-of-Pancreatic-Cancer-600x400.jpg 600w, https:\/\/www.toplinemd.com\/omar-rashid\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/132\/2022\/05\/Leading-Causes-of-Pancreatic-Cancer-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.toplinemd.com\/omar-rashid\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/132\/2022\/05\/Leading-Causes-of-Pancreatic-Cancer-800x534.jpg 800w, https:\/\/www.toplinemd.com\/omar-rashid\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/132\/2022\/05\/Leading-Causes-of-Pancreatic-Cancer.jpg 1000w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px\" \/><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">The main causes are unknown. As with every type of cancer, the disease occurs when the cells in the organ begin to grow abnormally, leading to tumor formation. However, experts don\u2019t exactly know why these abnormalities happen.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Normal cells grow and die at moderate rates, but when abnormal cells form, they are able to take over the healthy cells.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Even though the main causes of pancreatic cancer are unclear, experts have identified a few factors that may increase the risks of getting it:\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Smoking<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Heavy Drinking<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Hereditary or chronic pancreatitis<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Obesity<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Dietary choices<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Gender: men are more likely to develop the disease<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Exposure to harmful chemicals<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Age: people between\u00a0 65 and 74 are the most likely to develop pancreatic cancer<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Race: research shows that in the US, Black people have the highest pancreatic cancer rates. However, more investigation is needed to establish a clearer link<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">People with both types of diabetes have a higher risk of developing the condition<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">A family history of pancreatic cancer<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Infections like the H. pylori infection and hepatitis B.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">When researching the causes of pancreatic cancer, experts concluded that some genetic mutations and variations could also increase the chances of developing pancreatic cancer.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">These are:\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Lynch syndrome<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Hereditary ovarian and breast cancer syndrome<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Peutz-Jeghers syndrome<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Atypical multiple mole melanoma syndrome<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><b>Symptoms of Pancreatic Cancer<\/b><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Often, a pancreatic cancer diagnosis is established after several tests that are based on the patient\u2019s symptoms and experiences.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Unfortunately, the disease mostly produces symptoms in its advanced stages, and even then, some of the most common signs can be very subtle, and they can include:\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Weight loss (unintentional)<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Losing your appetite<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Radiating abdominal pain<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Pain in your lower back<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Blood clot formation<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Depression<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Jaundice<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Brown or dark urine<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Itchy skin<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Greasy, light-colored stools<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Vomiting<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Nausea<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><b>Pancreatic Cancer Diagnosis<\/b><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">A timely diagnosis can up the chances of a faster and better recovery. That being said, visiting your healthcare provider should be the first step if you are experiencing any of the signs mentioned above, especially if you have a family history of the disease or have any of the above-mentioned risk factors.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">How is pancreatic cancer diagnosed? After reviewing your medical history and symptoms, your healthcare provider might order the following tests:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Endoscopic ultrasound<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">MRI or CT Scans<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Pancreas tissue sample<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Blood tests<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><b>Stages of Pancreatic Cancer<\/b><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">After establishing a pancreatic cancer diagnosis, your doctor(s) will most likely perform further tests to see whether the malignancy has spread or not. These tests are necessary for determining the stage of the disease and outlining the best course of treatment.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">There are five typical stages of pancreatic cancer:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><b>Stage 0: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">The abnormal cells in the pancreas are in a precancer state, meaning they have yet to become cancerous.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><b>Stage 1: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">The tumor has begun to form, but it\u2019s only in the pancreas<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><b>Stage 2:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> The tumor has managed to affect the surrounding lymph nodes and\/or abdominal tissues<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><b>Stage 3:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> The malignancy has spread to the major blood vessels<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><b>Stage 4:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> The tumor has metastasized to other organs as well,\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><b>Treatment for Pancreatic Cancer<\/b><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Treatment for the disease revolves around killing the malignant cells and preventing their spread. As such, the best course of action will be heavily dependent on the cancer stage.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Treatment for pancreatic cancer will typically be:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><b>Surgery:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> This treatment usually involves removing the cancerous areas. This will get rid of the tumor but won\u2019t eliminate the cells that have already spread. As such, it\u2019s usually not recommended for advanced-stage cases.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><b>Chemotherapy:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> Doctors administer <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.cancer.org\/treatment\/treatments-and-side-effects\/treatment-types\/chemotherapy\/how-chemotherapy-drugs-work.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">anticancer drugs<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> to eliminate the malignant cells.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><b>Immunotherapy: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Doctors use various ways to trigger a response from the immune system to target the malignant cells.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><b>Targeted Therapy: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">The different antibodies and medications target the cancer cells only, often making it a better option than radiation and chemotherapy.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><b>Radiation Therapy:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> This method uses high-energy beams (like X-rays) to eliminate malignant cells.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: none\"><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">In some instances, your doctor might determine that it would be best to combine several treatment options, like undergoing chemo before having surgery.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><b>Pancreatic Cancer Prevention<\/b><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Because experts are still unsure what causes pancreatic cancer, there\u2019s no best strategy for prevention either, unfortunately.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">However, there are some things you can do to reduce your chances of developing the disease.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">To reduce your risks of developing the malignancy, consider:\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Limiting alcohol intake. Heavy alcohol consumption may lead to pancreatitis, which may increase the chances of pancreatic cancer.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Quitting smoking.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Trying to keep your weight in check. If you are currently having bodyweight problems, consider asking a professional for weight-loss strategies as well as tips on how to maintain your ideal weight.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Cleaning up your diet. Processed meat, fried foods, sugar, and red meat can all increase the risk of developing pancreatic malignancies. You don\u2019t need to necessarily eliminate all these foods from your diet. However, you should strive to limit them. Also, strive to eat more whole grains, vegetables, fruits, and lean protein sources.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><b>Pancreatic Cancer Survival Rate and Life Expectancy<\/b><\/h2>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-1212 aligncenter\" src=\"https:\/\/www.toplinemd.com\/omar-rashid\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/132\/2022\/01\/All-You-Need-To-Know-About-Hernias-and-How-To-Prevent-Them.jpg\" alt=\"Abdominal Pain Patient Woman Having Medical Exam With Doctor on Illness From Stomach Cancer\" width=\"1000\" height=\"563\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.toplinemd.com\/omar-rashid\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/132\/2022\/01\/All-You-Need-To-Know-About-Hernias-and-How-To-Prevent-Them-200x113.jpg 200w, https:\/\/www.toplinemd.com\/omar-rashid\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/132\/2022\/01\/All-You-Need-To-Know-About-Hernias-and-How-To-Prevent-Them-300x169.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.toplinemd.com\/omar-rashid\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/132\/2022\/01\/All-You-Need-To-Know-About-Hernias-and-How-To-Prevent-Them-400x225.jpg 400w, https:\/\/www.toplinemd.com\/omar-rashid\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/132\/2022\/01\/All-You-Need-To-Know-About-Hernias-and-How-To-Prevent-Them-600x338.jpg 600w, https:\/\/www.toplinemd.com\/omar-rashid\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/132\/2022\/01\/All-You-Need-To-Know-About-Hernias-and-How-To-Prevent-Them-768x432.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.toplinemd.com\/omar-rashid\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/132\/2022\/01\/All-You-Need-To-Know-About-Hernias-and-How-To-Prevent-Them-800x450.jpg 800w, https:\/\/www.toplinemd.com\/omar-rashid\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/132\/2022\/01\/All-You-Need-To-Know-About-Hernias-and-How-To-Prevent-Them.jpg 1000w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px\" \/><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">In all honesty, talking about life expectancy and survival rate in the case of any malignancy can be a bit misleading when looking at the statistical data. Every individual\u2019s case is different and highly dependent on their medical history and cancer stage.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">As a matter of fact, life expectancy and survival rate depend on a myriad of factors that are different for every individual. Only your healthcare experts can give you a more precise estimate regarding these questions.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Pancreatic cancer is a difficult disease to treat, but thanks to the constant advancement in technology and medicine, the outlook for patients is better than it was five years ago.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><b>If You Need Expert Help<\/b><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">If you think you might have pancreatic cancer or experiencing symptoms like the ones we listed above, your best course of action would be to reach out to an experienced healthcare professional as soon as you can. This is especially important if you are obese, drink, smoke, or have a family history of the disease.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Remember, early detection is key, so if you have any concerns or questions, reach out to us freely. <\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The pancreas is an organ that plays an important role in digestion and enzyme production to help the body digest<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":13,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":"","_links_to":"","_links_to_target":""},"categories":[22],"tags":[48,49,50,51,52],"class_list":["post-1240","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-cancer","tag-causes-of-pancreatic-cancer","tag-how-is-pancreatic-cancer-diagnosed","tag-pancreatic-cancer-diagnosis","tag-pancreatic-cancer-prevention","tag-treatment-of-pancreatic-cancer"],"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.toplinemd.com\/omar-rashid\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1240","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.toplinemd.com\/omar-rashid\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.toplinemd.com\/omar-rashid\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.toplinemd.com\/omar-rashid\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/13"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.toplinemd.com\/omar-rashid\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1240"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.toplinemd.com\/omar-rashid\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1240\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.toplinemd.com\/omar-rashid\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1240"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.toplinemd.com\/omar-rashid\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1240"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.toplinemd.com\/omar-rashid\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1240"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}