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Presentation Report

  Pancreatic Islet:   Pancreatic Cancer  

Sunar Aakrit (231271) 

Rai Sargam (230251) 

Nadege (

Business Department, Andrews University

Dr. Barbara Choi 

Anatomy & Physiology 1 (BIOL221) 

Fall Semester, December 6, 2021

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Introduction 

This is a report of the presentation about Pancreatic cancer. In this report we will discuss about:

 what pancreatic cancer is?

 what are its causes, risk factors and prevention?

 How we can detect and diagnose it?

 Treatments for this Cancer

 What we should do after treatment is done?

What is Pancreatic Cancer? 

Pancreatic cancer is a kind of cancer that develops in the pancreas' cells. Pancreatic cancer

originates in the tissues of your pancreas, an organ located behind the bottom section of your

stomach in your belly. Your pancreas generates hormones that facilitate digestion and releases

enzymes that improve digestion. 

Where does it start? 

Pancreatic cancer develops when the DNA of cells in your pancreas changes (mutates). The

DNA of a cell includes the instructions that tell it what to do. These mutations cause the cells to

proliferate out of control and live long after normal cells would have died. These accumulating

cells have the potential to create a tumor.

Types of Pancreatic Cancer

Pancreatic adenocarcinoma: Adenocarcinomas account for nearly all malignancies of the

exocrine pancreas. These tumours commonly begin in the pancreatic ducts. Acinar cell

carcinomas, which arise from the cells that produce pancreatic enzymes, are a kind of cancer that

occurs less frequently.

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Ampullary cancer (carcinoma of the ampulla of Vater): The cancer begins in the ampulla of

Vater, which is the junction of the bile and pancreatic ducts, which empties into the small

intestine. Although ampullary malignancies are not technically pancreatic cancers, they are

included since they are treated similarly.

Less common types of exocrine cancer: Other, less common exocrine cancers include

adenosquamous carcinomas, squamous cell carcinomas, signet ring cell carcinomas,

undifferentiated carcinomas, and undifferentiated carcinomas with giant cells.

Risk Factors

There is good evidence that age, smoking, being overweight or obese, and family history of

pancreatic cancer, pancreatitis, and diabetes may increase your risk of pancreatic cancer.

Some evidence has suggested that the following may also increase your risk.

Risk factors that can be changed

Tobacco use/smoking

One of the most prominent risk factors for pancreatic cancer is smoking. People who smoke

have a nearly two-fold increased risk of pancreatic cancer compared to individuals who have

never smoked. Cigarette smoking is considered to be the cause of about 25% of pancreatic

cancers. Smoking cigars and using smokeless tobacco products also raises the risk. However,

when a person stops smoking, their risk of pancreatic cancer begins to decrease.

Being overweight
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Obesity (being significantly overweight) is a risk factor for pancreatic cancer. Obese adults

(those with a BMI of 30 or above) are 20% more likely to get pancreatic cancer. Putting on

weight as an adult might also put you in danger. Even in persons who are not significantly

overweight, carrying additional weight around the waistline may be a risk factor.

Diabetes

People with diabetes are more likely to get pancreatic cancer. The cause of this is unknown.

People with type 2 diabetes are at the highest risk. This kind of diabetes is becoming more

common in children and adolescents as obesity rates grow in these age groups. Being

overweight or obese is typically linked to type 2 diabetes in adults. It's unclear whether those

with type 1 diabetes (juvenile diabetes) are at an increased risk.

Chronic pancreatitis

Pancreatic cancer is connected to chronic pancreatitis, which is long-term inflammation of

the pancreas. Heavy drinking and smoking are two common causes of chronic pancreatitis.

Chemicals in the workplace are a risk at work.

Certain chemicals used in the dry cleaning and metalworking industries can increase a

person's risk of pancreatic cancer if they are exposed to them often at work.

Risk factors that can’t be changed

Age
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As people become older, their chances of acquiring pancreatic cancer increase. Almost 80%

of the patients are beyond the age of 45. Two-thirds of the population is above the age of 65.

At the time of diagnosis, the average age was 70.

Gender

Men are somewhat more likely than women to have pancreatic cancer. This might be

attributed, at least in part, to men's increased cigarette usage, which increases the risk of

pancreatic cancer.

Race

Pancreatic cancer is somewhat more common in African Americans than in whites. The

causes for this are unknown, although it might be attributed in part to increased rates of

diabetes, smoking, and being overweight, which are all risk factors for pancreatic cancer.

Family history

Pancreatic cancer appears to run in families in some instances. The greater risk in some of

these families is related to an inherited condition (explained below). The gene that causes the

elevated risk in other families is unknown. Even though family history is a risk factor, most

people who get pancreatic cancer do not have a family history of the disease.

Inherited genetic syndromes

Genetic disorders that are passed down through the generations

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Gene alterations (mutations) can be handed down from one generation to the next. Pancreatic

tumours may be caused by these gene alterations in as much as 10% of cases. These

alterations can sometimes lead to syndromes that include an elevated risk of other

malignancies (or other health problems).

Chronic pancreatitis

Chronic pancreatitis is a disease that affects the pancreas (due to a gene change)

A hereditary gene mutation can cause chronic pancreatitis. People who have this hereditary

(familial) form of pancreatitis have a greater risk of pancreatic cancer throughout their lives.

Factors with an unclear effect on risk

Diet

Red and processed meats (such as sausage and bacon) and saturated fats in the diet may raise

the risk of pancreatic cancer. Sugary beverages may also contribute to this risk. In this area,

more study is required.

Inactivity on the physical level

According to certain studies, a lack of physical exercise may raise the risk of pancreatic

cancer. However, this has not been seen in all investigations. Regular exercise may help to

lower the risk of pancreatic cancer.

Coffee
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Coffee use has been linked to an increased risk of pancreatic cancer in some earlier studies,

although this has not been supported in more recent research.

Alcohol

Heavy alcohol use has been linked to pancreatic cancer in several studies. Heavy drinking

can also lead to illnesses like chronic pancreatitis, which has been linked to an increased risk

of pancreatic cancer.

Infections

According to several studies, stomach infection with the ulcer-causing bacterium

Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) or Hepatitis B infection may raise the risk of pancreatic

cancer. More research is required.

Early Detection

Pancreatic cancer is hard to find early. The pancreas is deep inside the body, so health care

providers can’t see or feel early tumours during routine physical exams. People usually have

no symptoms until cancer has become very large or has already spread to other organs.

Diagnosis and Staging

However, most people with pancreatic cancer are detected at stage IV. Early detection

approaches for pancreatic cancer are continuously being developed by researchers

worldwide. Patients who are diagnosed early in the course of their illness have a better

prognosis. This is because additional treatment options, including surgery, are available.
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Surgery is the greatest choice for long-term pancreatic cancer survival for qualified

individuals. It has the potential to raise a patient's survival rate tenfold. However, most

patients are detected at a later stage and are unable to have surgery. Furthermore, despite the

fact that 15-20% of pancreatic cancer patients may be candidates for surgery, research

suggests that up to half of those patients are informed they are not.

Signs and Symptoms of Pancreatic Cancer

Early pancreatic cancers often do not cause any signs or symptoms. By the time they do

cause symptoms, they have often grown very large or already spread outside the pancreas.

 Abdominal pain that radiates to your back.

 Loss of appetite or unintended weight loss.

 Yellowing of your skin and the whites of your eyes (jaundice)

 Light-coloured stools.

 Dark-coloured urine.

 Itchy skin.

 New diagnosis of diabetes or existing diabetes that's becoming more difficult to

control.

 Blood clots and my more

Questions to ask about pancreatic cancer

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It's important to have open and honest conversations with your cancer treatment team. They

aim to answer all of your questions so that you can make educated decisions about your

treatment and life. Here are some things to think about:

When you’re told you have pancreatic cancer (Ask about your diagnosis and what stage)

When deciding on a treatment plan (ask about your treatment options and also

recommendations)

During treatment (how it will work, and the side effects and how to manage them)

After treatment (are you out of the woods? What are you allowed to do

Treatment of Pancreatic Cancer  

There are several treatment options for Pancreatic Cancer including Surgery,

Radiotherapy and chemotherapy.   

Surgery  

Getting surgery for Pancreatic Cancer is a luxury as most pancreatic cancer is found after

it has spread. There are 3 main types of surgery available for the removal of tumor

namely, Whipple Procedure, Distal pancreatectomy and Total pancreatectomy.  

Whipple Procedure  

Whipple procedure can be done if the tumor is located in the head of the pancreas. In this

operation, the Head of the pancreas, Duodenum, a part of the bile duct and Stomach are removed

and then are reconnected back to the stomach.  

Distal pancreatectomy 
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Distal pancreatectomy can be done if the tumor is located in the tail of the pancreas. In this

procedure, the tail and spleen is removed.  

Total  pancreatectomy 

Total pancreatectomy can be done if the cancer cells have spread throughout the pancreas.

In this procedure, The entire pancreas, Part of the small intestine, Portion of the stomach,

Common bile duct, Gallbladder and Spleen then it is reconnected back to the stomach.  

Conclusion
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References 

Treating pancreatic cancer. American Cancer Society. (n.d.). Retrieved December 4, 2021, from
https://www.cancer.org/cancer/pancreatic-cancer/treating.html.