Pancreatic

Early detection of pancreatic cancer can significantly increase the success of your treatment. At Arizona Center for Cancer Care, diagnostic testing services are available to identify cancer in your pancreas before it spreads to other areas. Treatments, including surgery and radiation therapy, destroy cancerous cells and preserve the function of your pancreas. To schedule a pancreatic cancer evaluation, call one of the offices in Avondale, Fountain Hills, Wickenburg, Chandler, Gilbert, Goodyear, Glendale, Mesa, Phoenix, Scottsdale, Surprise, Anthem, Peoria, Apache Junction, Sun City, Tempe, or Sun City West, Arizona. You can also book an in-person or telehealth appointment online at any time.

What is pancreatic cancer?

Pancreatic cancer starts in your pancreas, an abdominal organ that creates enzymes to support digestion. Your pancreas also produces hormones that help regulate blood glucose (sugar) levels.

When cells in your pancreas mutate abnormally, they can form a tumor. In many cases of pancreatic cancer, abnormal cells develop in the duct lining of the pancreas, a condition known as pancreatic adenocarcinoma.

Your risk for pancreatic cancer increases if you have a family history of the condition or a personal history of other types of cancer. Other risk factors for pancreatic cancer include:

• Aging
• Obesity
• Smoking
• Diabetes

A poor diet may also play a role in the development of pancreatic cancer.

What are the symptoms of pancreatic cancer?

Symptoms of pancreatic cancer may not develop until the condition worsens or the cancer begins to spread. For this reason, you should schedule regular pancreatic cancer screenings if you have any risk factors for the disease.

Arizona Center for Cancer Care offers diagnostic screenings for pancreatic cancer if you experience symptoms like:

• Abdominal pain
• Persistent fatigue
• Dark-colored urine
• Dry, itchy skin
• Yellowing of your skin (jaundice)
• Unintended weight loss

To identify cancerous cells in your pancreas and determine how advanced the cancer is, the providers use advanced imaging technologies like computed tomography (CT) scans and positron emission tomography (PET).

You might also need a minimally invasive biopsy procedure to remove a piece of tissue from your pancreas that the cancer specialists analyze under a microscope.

How is pancreatic cancer treated?

Your care plan for pancreatic cancer may involve one or more treatments to destroy cancerous cells and prevent the cancer from spreading outside of your pancreas.

Arizona Center for Cancer Care offers treatments like:

Surgery

Surgery for pancreatic cancer focuses on removing cancerous tissue or tumors.

If you have advanced cancer, you might need surgery to remove your entire pancreas (total pancreatectomy). After this type of surgery, you need to take insulin and enzyme replacement medications, but you can expect to live a healthy life without a pancreas.

Radiation therapy

Radiation therapy uses precise beams of energy to destroy cancerous cells in your pancreas and surrounding tissue.

You may receive radiation therapy as a standalone treatment or following surgery.

Chemotherapy

Chemotherapy involves taking medications to kill off cancerous cells in your pancreas. The treatment can control cancer growth and prevent cancer from spreading to other areas of your body.

You may need to take the chemotherapy medication orally or receive it intravenously.

Arizona Center for Cancer Care also participates in clinical trials to test new cancer medications and improve patient treatment outcomes. The providers can determine if you’re a candidate for trial participation during your consultation.

To schedule a pancreatic cancer consultation, call the Arizona Center for Cancer Care office nearest you or book an appointment online today.