By Atika Walujani Moedjiono
Thursday (6/10) morning, came the shocking news. Steve Jobs, the person behind the creation of a personal computer, iPod, iPad, and iPhone, has died at age 56 from pancreatic cancer. Last week, the world lost one Nobel laureate in medicine this year, Ralph Steinman (68), due to the same disease.
Pancreatic cancer is actually a rare type of cancer. The American Cancer Society estimates, the disease was diagnosed in 230,000 people per year worldwide, 37,000 cases of which occurred in the United States.
However, according to Aru W Sudoyo, hematology oncology medical specialists from the Faculty of Medicine, University of Indonesia, the disease is classified as malignant. Moreover, usually detected only after an advanced stage.
Pancreas, as the site National Cancer Institute, is the organ through 6 inches (15 centimeters). This organ is located in the abdominal cavity, between the stomach and spine. Pancreas adjacent to the liver, bladder, small intestine, duodenum, and spleen.
Functioning pancreas produces pancreatic lymph containing the enzyme trypsin, amylase, and lipase to help break down proteins, carbohydrates and fats from food. Sap is applied to the duodenum. The pancreas also produces insulin as well as a hormone that helps the body use and store energy from food.
The tumors are uncontrolled growth of cells in the organ concerned. Tumors of the pancreas there is a benign (cysts) and there is a malignant (cancerous).
Benign tumors are usually not life threatening, can be operated and discharged, do not spread (metastasize) to other parts of the body. The cancer can be harmful to the soul, can be discarded, but usually grow back, invade and damage nearby tissues of the body organs, and spread to other parts of the body. Moreover, it also leads to accumulation of fluid in the abdominal cavity (ascites).
Unexplained
If we are exposed to infection, bacteria are usually relatively easy to find the cause. However, not so with cancer.
Doctors can not always explain, why a person suffering from cancer, while others do not. Or, what is the cause of cancer-related.
Usually only known risk factors that can trigger cancer. For pancreatic cancer, according to Aru, risk factors, among others, smoking. This habit is most widely associated with the incidence of pancreatic cancer. "Heavy smokers most at risk of developing pancreatic cancer," he said. Diabetics are also at risk of developing pancreatic cancer. Likewise, people with a family history of cancer, patients with inflammation of the pancreas (pancreatitis) in a long time, and people who are obese (overweight).
Other risk factors that are studied are high in animal fat consumption, and drinking lots of alcohol.
However, many people suffering from pancreatic cancer despite having no risk factors above. Conversely, many people have risk factors, but did not have cancer.
At the beginning of the growth of pancreatic cancer usually does not cause any symptoms. Therefore, the disease is often called the "silent killer". Typically, the Aru, perceived symptoms after an advanced stage, ie stage III or IV. Among other things, the color yellow (jaundice), either on the skin, eyes, feces, and urine. Other symptoms, pain in the gut, it often causes more cancer it was too late to overcome because it was originally mistaken for inflammation of the stomach (mag). Nausea, vomiting, lethargy, tiredness, loss of appetite, and weight loss are common symptoms that mark cancer.
"Only a few lucky people who got in mind at an early stage of pancreatic cancer. That is, if clogged bile duct cancer so that patients have a yellow early, "said Aru.
Staging
Stage is set based on tumor size, whether it has invaded other tissues or spread to other parts of the body.
Stage I, when a new tumor in the pancreas. Stage II, if the tumor has invaded nearby tissue, but not the blood vessels, and spread to the lymph nodes. Stage III, the tumor has invaded the blood vessels near the pancreas. As for stage IV, if the cancer has spread to distant organs relative, such as liver or lung.
Examination and blood tests performed by the laboratory, physical examination, CT scan, ultrasound, endoscopy, MRI, and biopsy (removal of tissue with a fine needle).
The Pancreatic Cancer Action Network website mentioned, the most common type of pancreatic cancer is adenocarcinoma (including 75 percent of cases of pancreatic cancer). In addition, there are adenosquamous carcinoma, glucagonoma, and somatostatinoma.
Rare types, among others, acinar cell carcinoma, giant cell tumor, mucinous cystadenocarcinoma, pancreatoblastoma, and serous cystadenocarcinoma.
Treatment carried out such operations. This is done if the cancer is detected in early stages. By removing the tumor, the chance for recovery is quite large.
Type of surgery depends on the location of tumor growth. Operations remove the tumor in the head of the pancreas called the Whipple procedure. This is the most common type of surgery. If needed, your doctor will also dispose of tissues nearby organs, such as most of duodenum, bladder, bile duct, part of the stomach, spleen, and nearby lymph nodes.
If the stage is advanced, usually chemotherapy or radiotherapy (radiation). It can reduce pain and improve quality of life of patients. The general life expectancy of six months to a year.
Thursday (6/10) morning, came the shocking news. Steve Jobs, the person behind the creation of a personal computer, iPod, iPad, and iPhone, has died at age 56 from pancreatic cancer. Last week, the world lost one Nobel laureate in medicine this year, Ralph Steinman (68), due to the same disease.
Pancreatic cancer is actually a rare type of cancer. The American Cancer Society estimates, the disease was diagnosed in 230,000 people per year worldwide, 37,000 cases of which occurred in the United States.
However, according to Aru W Sudoyo, hematology oncology medical specialists from the Faculty of Medicine, University of Indonesia, the disease is classified as malignant. Moreover, usually detected only after an advanced stage.
Pancreas, as the site National Cancer Institute, is the organ through 6 inches (15 centimeters). This organ is located in the abdominal cavity, between the stomach and spine. Pancreas adjacent to the liver, bladder, small intestine, duodenum, and spleen.
Functioning pancreas produces pancreatic lymph containing the enzyme trypsin, amylase, and lipase to help break down proteins, carbohydrates and fats from food. Sap is applied to the duodenum. The pancreas also produces insulin as well as a hormone that helps the body use and store energy from food.
The tumors are uncontrolled growth of cells in the organ concerned. Tumors of the pancreas there is a benign (cysts) and there is a malignant (cancerous).
Benign tumors are usually not life threatening, can be operated and discharged, do not spread (metastasize) to other parts of the body. The cancer can be harmful to the soul, can be discarded, but usually grow back, invade and damage nearby tissues of the body organs, and spread to other parts of the body. Moreover, it also leads to accumulation of fluid in the abdominal cavity (ascites).
Unexplained
If we are exposed to infection, bacteria are usually relatively easy to find the cause. However, not so with cancer.
Doctors can not always explain, why a person suffering from cancer, while others do not. Or, what is the cause of cancer-related.
Usually only known risk factors that can trigger cancer. For pancreatic cancer, according to Aru, risk factors, among others, smoking. This habit is most widely associated with the incidence of pancreatic cancer. "Heavy smokers most at risk of developing pancreatic cancer," he said. Diabetics are also at risk of developing pancreatic cancer. Likewise, people with a family history of cancer, patients with inflammation of the pancreas (pancreatitis) in a long time, and people who are obese (overweight).
Other risk factors that are studied are high in animal fat consumption, and drinking lots of alcohol.
However, many people suffering from pancreatic cancer despite having no risk factors above. Conversely, many people have risk factors, but did not have cancer.
At the beginning of the growth of pancreatic cancer usually does not cause any symptoms. Therefore, the disease is often called the "silent killer". Typically, the Aru, perceived symptoms after an advanced stage, ie stage III or IV. Among other things, the color yellow (jaundice), either on the skin, eyes, feces, and urine. Other symptoms, pain in the gut, it often causes more cancer it was too late to overcome because it was originally mistaken for inflammation of the stomach (mag). Nausea, vomiting, lethargy, tiredness, loss of appetite, and weight loss are common symptoms that mark cancer.
"Only a few lucky people who got in mind at an early stage of pancreatic cancer. That is, if clogged bile duct cancer so that patients have a yellow early, "said Aru.
Staging
Stage is set based on tumor size, whether it has invaded other tissues or spread to other parts of the body.
Stage I, when a new tumor in the pancreas. Stage II, if the tumor has invaded nearby tissue, but not the blood vessels, and spread to the lymph nodes. Stage III, the tumor has invaded the blood vessels near the pancreas. As for stage IV, if the cancer has spread to distant organs relative, such as liver or lung.
Examination and blood tests performed by the laboratory, physical examination, CT scan, ultrasound, endoscopy, MRI, and biopsy (removal of tissue with a fine needle).
The Pancreatic Cancer Action Network website mentioned, the most common type of pancreatic cancer is adenocarcinoma (including 75 percent of cases of pancreatic cancer). In addition, there are adenosquamous carcinoma, glucagonoma, and somatostatinoma.
Rare types, among others, acinar cell carcinoma, giant cell tumor, mucinous cystadenocarcinoma, pancreatoblastoma, and serous cystadenocarcinoma.
Treatment carried out such operations. This is done if the cancer is detected in early stages. By removing the tumor, the chance for recovery is quite large.
Type of surgery depends on the location of tumor growth. Operations remove the tumor in the head of the pancreas called the Whipple procedure. This is the most common type of surgery. If needed, your doctor will also dispose of tissues nearby organs, such as most of duodenum, bladder, bile duct, part of the stomach, spleen, and nearby lymph nodes.
If the stage is advanced, usually chemotherapy or radiotherapy (radiation). It can reduce pain and improve quality of life of patients. The general life expectancy of six months to a year.
