Pancreatic cancer develops in the tissues of the pancreas, which is an organ responsible for releasing insulin and enzymes that aid digestion and regulate blood sugar levels. The cancer that typically occurs in the pancreas develops in the cells lining the duct carrying digestive enzymes. Its symptoms are not visible until much later, so it is rare for one to get an early-stage diagnosis. Let’s look at symptoms, causes, and treatment options for pancreatic cancer.

Causes
There is no one cause for pancreatic cancer determined; however, some risk factors may increase the chance of developing this disease. This includes any gene mutations and consistent unhealthy lifestyle choices. Some of the other risk factors include diabetes, chronic inflammation of the pancreas, family history of pancreatic cancer, old age (mostly after the age of 65), and a combination of these health conditions with unhealthy lifestyle choices.

Symptoms and signs
It is crucial to notice early signs and symptoms of pancreatic cancer because they often go unnoticed and are only visible at a later stage when the cancer has spread. This makes the treatment much more difficult and complicated. Here is what you need to look out for:

Abdominal pain that also goes back to your back
Light colored stools
Dark colored urine
Itchy skin in general
Extreme fatigue
Blood clots
New diagnosis of diabetes or the sugar levels getting worse than before
Developing yellow skin, including the whites of the eyes – pointing to the onset of jaundice
Loss of appetite or an unexplained or unintentional loss of body mass

These symptoms may look generic; however, it is important to keep an eye on any changes in the body’s functioning and get the appropriate tests done in time. It is also important to notice how long you have been experiencing the symptoms for so you can understand the timeline better and communicate to the doctor.

Treatment options
The treatment depends on the stage of cancer and the overall health of the person to determine what course of action is to be taken. Some of the treatment options include surgery, chemotherapy, radiation, or even a combination of all three or any two. However, usually, when pancreatic cancer has metastasized, treatment becomes challenging, and the doctor focuses on managing the symptoms and relieving pain.

Chemotherapy
This treatment can be intravenous or oral, and it focuses on killing the cancer cells that are spread in the body. Sometimes doctors can also suggest doing chemotherapy and radiation together, which is called chemoradiation. However, this is usually advised when the cancer has not spread to the other organs and is contained to the pancreas only. Doctors may also suggest this therapy when they need to shrink the cancer cells before performing surgery on the organ.
Radiation
This treatment method uses high-energy beams like those made from X-rays and protons. This energy beam is used to target and destroy the cancer cells in the body. This treatment can be done in combination with chemotherapy before surgery, as suggested above, or it can also be part of the combination treatment when surgery is not helpful in treating the cancer.
Surgery
This involves surgically removing the infected parts of the pancreas. There are many options depending on how the cancer cells have spread, so a detailed discussion with the doctor will help understand the next course of action.