How to screen for pancreatic cancer

Written by Liu Liang
Oncology
Updated on September 11, 2024
00:00
00:00

Pancreatic cancer is a common malignant tumor of the digestive tract. Due to its high malignancy and rapid progression, it severely affects human health. So how should pancreatic cancer patients be screened? Generally, abdominal ultrasound examination is the primary screening method. Another method is the examination of tumor markers, mainly carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) and CA19-9. CA19-9 is a tumor marker with relatively high specificity and sensitivity for the diagnosis of pancreatic cancer. Therefore, during physical examinations, we can draw blood to check these tumor markers. If there is a significant increase in CA19-9 or CEA, further examinations of the pancreas, such as ultrasound or CT of the pancreas, should be conducted to further investigate whether there is a tumor in the pancreas.

Other Voices

doctor image
home-news-image
Written by Zhou Chen
Oncology
1min 10sec home-news-image

What are the symptoms of pancreatic cancer?

The clinical manifestations of pancreatic cancer mainly depend on the location of the cancer, the stage of the disease, whether there is metastasis, and the involvement of adjacent organs. The clinical characteristics include a short disease course, rapid progression, and swift deterioration. The most common symptom is upper abdominal distension and discomfort, pain, though not all patients experience tenderness; if tenderness is present, it aligns with the area of pain felt. Pain is a primary symptom of pancreatic cancer, present whether the cancer is located in the head or the body/tail of the pancreas. Jaundice is a main symptom of cancer in the head of the pancreas, and patients often exhibit more severe gastrointestinal symptoms, most commonly loss of appetite, followed by nausea and vomiting. There might also be diarrhea or constipation, even melena. Diarrhea is often steatorrhea. In the early stages of pancreatic cancer, common symptoms include weight loss and fatigue.

doctor image
home-news-image
Written by Liu Liang
Oncology
34sec home-news-image

What are the symptoms of pancreatic cancer?

The most common symptom of pancreatic cancer is abdominal pain, typically pain in the upper abdomen. Jaundice is also common, especially in cancers of the head of the pancreas, where it is the most frequent clinical manifestation. Upon physical examination, some patients may have a palpable mass in the upper abdomen. Other common symptoms include gastrointestinal issues, such as nausea, vomiting, a feeling of fullness after eating, and a decrease in appetite. These are some of the symptoms related to the digestive tract.

doctor image
home-news-image
Written by Liu Liang
Oncology
42sec home-news-image

What is used for pain relief in pancreatic cancer?

If a pancreatic cancer patient is experiencing pain, the choice of pain medication can be based on the specific severity of the pain. For mild pain, mild pain relievers such as ibuprofen sustained-release capsules can be chosen initially. For moderate pain, pain relievers like tramadol can be used. If the daily dosage of tramadol exceeds eight tablets, which is two tablets each time, taken every six hours, and if the pain relief is still inadequate after 24 hours, then it might be appropriate to switch to opioid painkillers such as hydromorphone sustained-release tablets, morphine sustained-release tablets, or morphine.

doctor image
home-news-image
Written by Liu Liang
Oncology
36sec home-news-image

Is a pancreatic tumor the same as pancreatic cancer?

Pancreatic tumors include benign and malignant tumors of the pancreas. Common benign pancreatic tumors include insulinomas, which can cause hypoglycemia due to excessive insulin secretion. Other benign tumors of the pancreas include adenomas, lipomas, and fibromas, which are relatively rare clinically. Malignant tumors of the pancreas are commonly referred to as pancreatic cancer, which has a high degree of malignancy. Early-stage pancreatic cancer patients are primarily treated with surgery.

doctor image
home-news-image
Written by Liu Liang
Oncology
56sec home-news-image

How to screen for pancreatic cancer

Pancreatic cancer is a common malignant tumor of the digestive tract. Due to its high malignancy and rapid progression, it severely affects human health. So how should pancreatic cancer patients be screened? Generally, abdominal ultrasound examination is the primary screening method. Another method is the examination of tumor markers, mainly carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) and CA19-9. CA19-9 is a tumor marker with relatively high specificity and sensitivity for the diagnosis of pancreatic cancer. Therefore, during physical examinations, we can draw blood to check these tumor markers. If there is a significant increase in CA19-9 or CEA, further examinations of the pancreas, such as ultrasound or CT of the pancreas, should be conducted to further investigate whether there is a tumor in the pancreas.