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Your doctor at Dignity Health may use several different tools for diagnosis. Pancreatic cancer is relatively rare, so many of the first steps are designed to rule out other conditions.
Common diagnostic tests for pancreatic cancer symptoms include:
Treatment depends upon the type and stage of pancreatic cancer. If the cancer is at an advanced stage, treatment may aim to ease pain and other symptoms rather than cure.
At Dignity Health, standard treatment options include:
These treatments can kill cancer cells, slow the growth, or relieve pain and other symptoms.
In some cases, your doctor may recommend surgery to remove cancerous cells. This may involve removing part of the pancreas, the entire pancreas, or the pancreas and portions of the spleen, duodenum, and stomach. While it may be possible to live without a pancreas, it can cause diabetes since the pancreas is responsible for secreting insulin, a blood-sugar regulating hormone.
Surgeries to treat pancreatic cancer include:
If diagnosed with pancreatic cancer, you may want to consider enrolling in a clinical trial for access to experimental treatments. New research and treatments for cancer are ongoing.
Pancreatic cancer is very rare, and many of its symptoms are the same as other, less serious conditions. Noticing signs of pancreatic cancer isn’t necessarily a cause for panic.
Nevertheless, because pancreatic cancer often does not cause symptoms until later stages, talk to your doctor as soon as possible if you notice unusual digestive symptoms. He or she can rule out pancreatic cancer and other GI system cancers.
The following symptoms may indicate an issue with one of your digestive organs and warrant a medical evaluation:
As part of our comprehensive oncology services, Dignity Health provides holistic pancreatic cancer treatment.
The information contained in this article is meant for educational purposes only and should not replace advice from your healthcare provider.