Did you know that pancreatic cancer has the lowest survival rate among all cancers? Yes, the survival rate of Pancreatic cancer is hardly 3-6%. Such a low survival rate is mainly due to late diagnosis.

Timely diagnosis and proper treatment can increase the survival rate, improving your quality of life.

Read on to know why the diagnosis of pancreatic tumor happens at a later stage.

What Is Pancreatic Tumor?

A pancreatic tumor is a lump of mass formed due to the abnormal growth of the pancreatic cells. The tumor can either be benign or malignant.

Types Of Pancreatic Tumor:

There are mainly two types of pancreatic tumors:

• Benign or non-cancerous pancreatic tumors like pancreatic cysts (fluid-filled sacs) or Pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors (NETs – arise from hormone-producing cells in the pancreas).

• Malignant or cancerous pancreatic tumor.

While benign pancreatic tumors are non-cancerous, some can turn malignant if not diagnosed and treated promptly.

Symptoms of Pancreatic Tumor

The symptoms of benign and malignant pancreatic tumors are almost the same, with slight variations. They are:

1. Benign Pancreatic Tumor:

• Abdominal pain and discomfort
• Unexplained weight loss
• Digestive issues like indigestion, bloating, nausea, vomiting, or changes in bowel motions like diarrhea or constipation.
• Jaundice

2. Malignant Pancreatic Tumor:

When a person develops a malignant pancreatic tumor, the body starts exhibiting a few more symptoms in addition to the ones mentioned above, such as:

• Nausea and vomiting
• Loss of your appetite
• Loose motions, light yellow or floating stool
• Dark-colored urine
• Gallbladder or liver enlargement
• Belly pain spreading to the sides of the back
• New diagnosis of diabetes or diabetes that’s getting harder to control.

Causes Of Pancreatic Tumor

The benign pancreatic tumor starts with pseudocysts that generally develop in the tail of the pancreas. Pseudocysts are usually caused by injury to the pancreas or pancreatitis. Rarely, pancreatic cysts can also be caused by an infection such as tuberculosis, tapeworms, or other organisms.

Scientists are not exactly aware of what causes lead to the formation of malignant pancreatic tumors. They know that DNA changes trigger the onset of penile cancer, but what leads to those changes in the DNA is still unknown. Oncologists are still studying all the cancer cases to understand the cause better.

Two major factors contribute to the onset of penile cancer – smoking and drinking. When burned, cigarettes create more than 7,000 chemicals. At least 69 chemicals are known to cause cancer, and many are toxic.

Risk Factors of Pancreatic Tumor

There are certain risk factors associated with the development of pancreatic tumors. These risk factors, over time, can also turn benign tumors into malignant.

• Smoking
• Excessive alcohol consumption
• Obesity
• Illness like diabetes or pancreas-related diseases
• Family history of pancreatic tumor
• Age above 65 years

Complications Of Pancreatic Tumor

Pancreatic tumor, both benign or malignant, comes with its own set of complications, such as:

1. Weight Loss:

Pancreatic tumors can cause weight loss due to energy extraction and digestive system issues. Symptoms include nausea, vomiting, and necessitating diet changes. Eat small, frequent meals with high-protein foods like meat, chicken, eggs, soy, or tofu to reduce weight loss.

2. Bile Duct Obstruction:

Bile salt, a liver liquid containing cholesterol, bile salts, and bilirubin, helps digest fat and expel it through bile ducts. Blocking bile ducts can cause jaundice, a yellow skin color, and pancreatic tumors. To prevent this, avoid refined sugar, saturated or trans fats, low-fiber grains, fruits, and vegetables. However, advancements in medical treatments in India may help cure pancreatic tumors at a lower cost.

3. Jaundice:

Jaundice, caused by bile duct obstruction, is a sign of pancreatic cancer and can cause yellow skin, eyes, itch, black urine, and light feces. To combat jaundice symptoms, patients should avoid alcohol, refined carbohydrates, oily fast foods, and raw or undercooked fish. Instead, they can benefit from fresh fruits, vegetables, coffee, plant-based proteins, whole grains, and adequate water.

4. Pain:

Pancreatic tumors can cause dull pain in the back or stomach, worsening after lying down or eating. As the tumor grows, it becomes more severe. Treatments include surgical procedures, radiation therapies, relaxation, massage, acupuncture, and physical therapy.

5. Bowel Blockage:

The bowel aids in absorbing nutrients and removing waste from food. The small intestine ingests nutrients, but the duodenum can cause bowel blockage due to pancreatic tumor growth. Preventing blockage involves small meals, cooked vegetables, meat, and stews.

Diagnostic Tests For Pancreatic Tumor

Detecting pancreatic cancer in its early stages is challenging. This is primarily because healthcare providers cannot physically examine your pancreas during regular medical check-ups, and these tumors are not easily visible on standard imaging tests.

If your provider suspects pancreatic cancer, they’ll recommend a combination of pancreas function tests, which may include:

• Imaging tests like CT Scans, MRI, PET, and EUS
• Blood tests for detecting tumor markers
• Laparoscopy 
• Biopsy
• Genetic Testing to see if you have mutated genes or not

Pancreatic Tumor Treatment In India

1. Surgical Approach

Successful diagnosis of pancreatic tumor treatment at an early stage can give you fruitful results. There are various options to cure pancreatic tumors through surgeries, such as: