Pancreatic Cancer Symptoms

Pancreatic Cancer Symptoms

Endocrine: The endocrine glands secrete hormones, including insulin, into the bloodstream. Insulin also controls the levels of sugar in the blood.

Head - The rightmost portion that lies adjacent to the duodenum

Uncinate process - An extension of the head of the pancreas

Body - The middle portion of the pancreas

Tail - The leftmost portion of the pancreas that lies adjacent to the spleen

Intraductal papillary mucinous neoplasia (IPMN) is a type of pancreatic cancer that is beginning to be recognized more frequently. This pancreatic cancer has a better prognosis than other types of pancreatic cancer. The most common type of pancreatic cancer arises from the exocrine glands and is called adenocarcinoma of the pancreas.

Pancreatic adenocarcinoma is among the most aggressive of all cancers. By the time that pancreatic cancer is diagnosed, most people already have disease that has spread to distant sites in the body. Pancreatic cancer is also relatively resistant to medical treatment, and the only potentially curative treatment is surgery. In 2004, approximately 31,800 people in the United States were diagnosed with pancreatic cancer, and approximately 31,200 people died of this disease. Pancreatic cancer symptoms

This page has information on the symptoms of pancreatic cancer.

Symptoms from rare endocrine pancreatic tumours

Early symptoms

The commonest types of cancer of the pancreas

are exocrine tumours. Early symptoms can include

Weight loss

Pain in the stomach area

Jaundice

More early symptoms

Weight loss

People diagnosed with pancreatic cancer may have recently lost a lot of weight (at least 10% of their total body weight) for no apparent reason. This symptom is more common in cancers of the head of the pancreas.

Pain in the stomach area
About 7 out of 10 people with pancrea

tic cancer first go to their doctors because they have pain. Pain is more common in cancers of the body and tail of the pancreas.

Jaundice

Jaundice is yellowing of the skin and whites of the eyes. Jaundice is more common with cancer of the head of the pancreas because the tumour blocks the bile duct. This tube carries bile into the duodenum. Jaundice is a common symptom of many liver and gall bladder diseases.

More early symptoms

Other symptoms of pancreatic

cancer
There are other symptoms that you can have with cancer of the pancreas. Diabetes

Itching

Sickness

Bowel disturbances

Diabetes

Some people diagnosed with cancer of the pancreas are found to be newly diabetic. If you have diabetes you are not producing enough insulin. Weakness

Itching

You may have itching if you have bad jaundice. Sickness
You may feel or be sick because you have jaundice or an inflamed pan

creas. Bowel disturbances
Again, if you have jaundice you may develop a symptom called steatorrhoea. Symptoms from rare endocrine pancreatic tumours
There are rarer types of pancreatic cancer that produce hormones. These are the endocrine pancreatic tumours. The symptoms are different for each type, depending on the hormone the tumour produces.

Somatostatinomas produce too much of a hormone called somatostatin.

Symptoms Of Prostate Cancer

Prostate Cancer Symptoms

If the cancer is caught at its earliest stages, most men will not experience any symptoms. Some men, however, will experience symptoms that might indicate the presence of prostate cancer, including:

•Difficulty starting urination or holding back urine;
•Weak or interrupted flow of urine;
•Painful or burning urination;
•Difficulty in having an erection;
•Painful ejaculation;
•Blood in urine or semen; or
•Frequent pain or stiffness in the lower back, hips, or upper thighs.

What causes prostate symptoms

With both prostate cancers and non-cancerous enlargement of the prostate, the symptoms are usually caused because the larger prostate
Blocks the flow of urine




Remember – if you have any symptoms you should be checked by your doctor.
Other symptoms of prostate cancer

Cancer of the prostate gland often grows slowly, especially in older men. Symptoms may be mild and occur over many years. Sometimes the first symptoms are from prostate cancer cells which have spread to your bones.

Cancer that has spread to other areas of the body is called metastatic or secondary prostate cancer. The guidelines say that men who have suspicious symptoms should be offered a PSA blood test and a rectal examination.

If you have a suspicious PSA reading and other symptoms that could be related to prostate cancer, the guidelines say your GP should consider referring you to a specialist urgently.

Remember – your GP may decide to delay doing a PSA test sometimes. For example, if you have a urine infection. A test should be delayed for a month after you've had treatment for a urine infection.

Prostate cancer usually doesn't produce any noticeable symptoms in its early stages, so many cases of prostate cancer aren't detected until the cancer has spread beyond the prostate. For most men, prostate cancer is first detected during a routine screening such as a prostate-specific antigen (PSA) test or a digital rectal exam (DRE).
When signs and symptoms do occur, they depend on how advanced the cancer is and how far the cancer has spread.

Early signs and symptoms of prostate cancer can include urinary problems, caused when the prostate tumor presses on the bladder or on the tube that carries urine from the bladder (urethra). However, urinary symptoms are much more commonly caused by benign prostate problems, such as an enlarged prostate (benign prostatic hyperplasia) or prostate infections. Less than 5 percent of cases of prostate cancer have urinary problems as the initial symptom. When urinary signs and symptoms do occur, they can include:
Trouble urinating

Cancer in your prostate or the area around the prostate can cause:
Blood in your urine

Mesothelioma Cancer For More Information

Mesothelioma is a form of cancer that is almost always caused by exposure to asbestos. In this disease, malignant cells develop in the mesothelium, a protective lining that covers most of the body's internal organs. Most people who develop mesothelioma have worked on jobs where they inhaled asbestos particles, or they have been exposed to asbestos dust and fiber in other ways. Unlike lung cancer, there is no association between mesothelioma and smoking, but smoking greatly increases risk of other asbestos-induced cancer. Compensation via asbestos funds or lawsuits is an important issue in mesothelioma (see asbestos and the law).

The symptoms of mesothelioma include shortness of breath due to pleural effusion (fluid between the lung and the chest wall) or chest wall pain, and general symptoms such as weight loss. Mesothelioma is a rare form of cancer in which malignant (cancerous) cells are found in the mesothelium, a protective sac that covers most of the body's internal organs. Most people who develop mesothelioma have worked on jobs where they inhaled asbestos particles.

Mesothelioma (cancer of the mesothelium) is a disease in which cells of the mesothelium become abnormal and divide without control or order. Working with asbestos is the major risk factor for mesothelioma. In addition to mesothelioma, exposure to asbestos increases the risk of lung cancer, asbestosis (a noncancerous, chronic lung ailment), and other cancers, such as those of the larynx and kidney.

Smoking does not appear to increase the risk of mesothelioma. Initially, the risks associated with asbestos exposure were not known. The risk of asbestos-related disease increases with heavier exposure to asbestos and longer exposure time. However, some individuals with only brief exposures have developed mesothelioma. There is some evidence that family members and others living with asbestos workers have an increased risk of developing mesothelioma, and possibly other asbestos-related diseases. This risk may be the result of exposure to asbestos dust brought home on the clothing and hair of asbestos workers. Symptoms of mesothelioma may not appear until 30 to 50 years after exposure to asbestos. A biopsy is needed to confirm a diagnosis of mesothelioma. If the cancer is in the chest, the doctor may perform a thoracoscopy. Thoracoscopy allows the doctor to look inside the chest and obtain tissue samples. If the cancer is in the abdomen, the doctor may perform a peritoneoscopy. Treatment for mesothelioma depends on the location of the cancer, the stage of the disease, and the patient's age and general health. Standard treatment options include surgery, radiation therapy, and chemotherapy.

• Surgery is a common treatment for mesothelioma. For cancer of the pleura (pleural mesothelioma), a lung may be removed in an operation called a pneumonectomy. Radiation therapy affects the cancer cells only in the treated area.

The procedure for removing fluid from the chest is called thoracentesis. Participation in clinical trials is an important treatment option for many patients with mesothelioma.

Information about clinical trials is available from the Cancer Information Service (CIS) (see below) at 1–800–4–CANCER.

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A PSA Test measures the amount of PSA in the blood. The prostate gland produces a protein called prostate specific antigen, or PSA for short.The higher amounts of PSA found, the more likely prostate cancer is present. A high PSA level does not always mean cancer, however.

For more information, see Prostate Cancer and the Links associated with this article.
Sometimes cancer cells do not produce much PSA, and the test will be negative even when the disease is present.

If prostate cancer is diagnosed, the total PSA test may be used as a monitoring tool to help determine the effectiveness of treatment. The total PSA test and digital rectal exam (DRE) may be used to screen both asymptomatic and symptomatic men for prostate cancer. If the DRE is normal but the PSA is moderately elevated, the doctor may order a free PSA test to look at the ratio of free to total PSA. This can help to distinguish between prostate cancer and other non-cancer causes of elevated PSA. Since the total PSA test can be elevated temporarily for a variety of reasons, a doctor may order another PSA a few weeks after the first to determine if the PSA is still elevated.

Currently there is no consensus about using the PSA test to screen for prostate cancer in asymptomatic men. While prostate cancer is a relatively common type of cancer in men, it is an uncommon cause of death. Total PSA levels may be ordered at frequent intervals to monitor the change in PSA over time.
(See Prostate Cancer Screening for Adults and Adults 50 and Up.)

If a total PSA level is elevated, a doctor may order a repeat test a few weeks later to determine whether the PSA concentrations have returned to normal.
A free PSA is primarily ordered when a man has a moderately elevated total PSA. The total PSA may be ordered during treatment of men who have been diagnosed with prostate cancer to verify the effectiveness of treatment and at regular intervals after treatment to monitor for cancer recurrence.

When men in the gray zone have decreased levels of free PSA, they have a higher probability of prostate cancer; when they have elevated levels of free PSA, the risk is diminished. When the cPSA test is used as a screening tool, increased levels may indicate an increased risk of prostate cancer, while lower levels indicate a decreased risk.

PSA velocity. This is the change in PSA concentrations over time. PSA doubling time. It measures how rapidly the PSA concentration doubles.
PSA density. Age-specific PSA ranges.

During treatment for prostate cancer, the PSA level should begin to fall. Following treatment, the PSA test is performed at regular intervals to monitor the person for cancer recurrence. Prostate manipulation by biopsy or resection of the prostate will significantly elevate PSA levels. In some men, PSA may rise temporarily due to other prostate conditions, especially infection.

How To Do Cancer Chemotherapy

Cancer Chemotherapy

The era of cancer chemotherapy began in the 1940s with the first use of nitrogen mustards and folic acid antagonist drugs. Cancer drug development has exploded since then into a multi-billion dollar industry. The targeted therapy revolution has arrived, but many of the principles and limitations of chemotherapy discovered by the early researchers still apply.

Normally, your cells grow and die in a controlled way. Cancer cells keep forming without control. Chemotherapy is drug therapy that can stop these cells from multiplying. However, it can also harm healthy cells, which causes side effects.




During chemotherapy you may have no side effects or just a few. The kinds of side effects you have depend on the type and dose of chemotherapy you get. Side effects vary, but common ones are nausea, vomiting, tiredness, pain and hair loss. Healthy cells usually recover after chemotherapy, so most side effects gradually go away.
Your course of therapy will depend on the cancer type, the chemotherapy drugs used, the treatment goal and how your body responds. You may get treatment every day, every week or every month. You may have breaks between treatments so that your body has a chance to build new healthy cells. You might take the drugs by mouth, in a shot or intravenously.

Chemotheraphy uses powerful drugs to stoph the growth cancer cells. Cancer cells are more sensitive to chemotherapy than healthy cells because they divide more frequently. Healthy cells can also be affected by chemotherapy, especially rapidly dividing cells of the skin, the lining to stomach, the intestines, and the bladder.

Throat Cancer's Guide

Throat Cancer refers to cancerous tumors that develop in your throat (pharynx) or voice box (larynx).

Your throat is a 5-inch-long muscular tube that begins behind your nose and ends in your neck. Your voice box sits just below your throat and is also susceptible to throat cancer. Throat cancer can also affect the piece of cartilage (epiglottis) that acts as a lid for your windpipe.

The American Cancer Society estimates that about 24,000 people in the United States are diagnosed with throat cancer each year. About half of those throat cancers occur in the pharynx, with the rest occurring in the larynx.



The term head and neck cancer refers to a group of biologically similar cancers originating from the upper aerodigestive tract, including the lip, oral cavity (mouth), nasal cavity, paranasal sinuses, pharynx, and larynx. Most head and neck cancers are squamous cell carcinomas, originating from the mucosal lining (epithelium) of these regions. Head and neck cancer is strongly associated with certain environmental and lifestyle risk factors, including tobacco smoking, alcohol consumption, and certain strains of the sexually transmitted human papillomavirus. Head and neck cancer is highly curable if detected early, usually with some form of surgery although chemotherapy and radiation therapy may also play an important role.

Signs and Symptoms
Cancers that involve the throat, base of the tongue, tonsil, pharynx, or tube that extends from the nasal passages to the mouth to the esophagus and sinus are called oropharyngeal and hypopharyngeal cancers.

Symptoms of throat cancer may include:
• A sore throat that does not go away
• Cough
• Pain or difficulty swallowing
• Weight loss for no known reason
• Ear pain
• A lump in the back of the mouth, throat or neck
• Advanced tumors may invade the voice box, causing hoarseness or breathing difficulty
• Bleeding from the throat or blood-tinged sputum
Risk factors for developing throat cancer may include:
• Smoking tobacco
• Heavy alcohol use
• A diet low in fruits and vegetables
• Drinking maté, a stimulant drink common in South America
• Chewing betel quid, a stimulant commonly used in parts of Asia
• Being infected with human papillomavirus (HPV)

Smoking Facts Is Here...!!

Quit Smoking Before it Makes You Quit - For Ever!
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O.K. you're a smoker, and you know how tough it is to quit smoking. I reckon I'd be safe in saying that you've said loads of times that you were going to quit smoking. I know, I'll join one of those quit smoking programs." Except that it really isn't, the most addicted smokers are usually well aware of the risk of lung cancer and still carry on smoking. Here is The Smoking Facts :
It is a well researched and documented fact that cigarette smoking affects your hair, eyes, teeth, brain, skin, nose, throat, kidneys, bladder, reproductive system, circulation, bones, blood, immune system in general, as well as your lower limbs.
Do you have the will that it takes to quit smoking?
I think that you'd be totally amazed at the incredible number and variety of quit smoking programs that there are out there.




The Benefits From Quitting Smoking - Some Great Reasons to Stop Smoking Today
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As soon as you put out that last cigarette, the nicotine levels in your body and bloodstream immediately fall as your body begins to process nicotine. As the nicotine is leaving your body, your blood pressure gets lower. Within a few months of quitting smoking, you'll have a reduced risk of developing a major smoking-related disease.
Also quitting smoking will allow to you to come in from the cold. For a proven effective and natural way to quit smoking, check out Smoke Deter. It's a complete all-natural system that works on all levels to conquer tobacco craving and makes quitting smoking a snap. Don't forget to join the free Smoke Deter support group and pick up your relaxing mp3.

Stage of BREAST CANCER

The stage describes the extent of the cancer in the body. It is based on whether the cancer is invasive or non-invasive, the size of the tumor, how many lymph nodes are involved, and if it has spread to other parts of the body. The stage of a cancer is one of the most important factors in determining prognosis and treatment options. In men usually should be aware in Prostate Cancer.

Staging is the process of finding out how widespread a cancer is when it is diagnosed. Depending on the results of your physical exam and biopsy, your doctor may want you to have certain imaging tests such as a chest x-ray, mammograms of both breasts, bone scans, computed tomography (CT) scans, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), and/or positron emission tomography (PET) scans (see below). Blood tests may also be done to evaluate your overall health and help find out if the cancer has spread to certain organs.




The stage of a breast cancer can be based either on the results of physical exam, biopsy, and imaging tests (called the clinical stage), or on the results of these tests plus the results of surgery (called the pathologic stage). The staging described here is the pathologic stage, which includes the findings after surgery, when the pathologist has looked at the breast mass and nearby lymph nodes. Pathologic staging is likely to be more accurate than clinical staging, as it allows the doctor to get a firsthand impression of the extent of the cancer.
Different treatment options and sequences are considered for each stage of breast cancer.
Cancer stage is based on the size of the tumor, whether the cancer is invasive or non-invasive, whether lymph nodes are involved, and whether the cancer has spread beyond the breast.

Stage 0 is used to describe non-invasive breast cancers, such as DCIS and LCIS.

Stage I describes invasive breast cancer (cancer cells are breaking through to or invading neighboring normal tissue) in which:
•the tumor measures up to 2 centimeters, AND
•no lymph nodes are involved

Stage II
Stage IIA describes invasive breast cancer in which:
•no tumor can be found in the breast, but cancer cells are found in the axillary lymph nodes (the lymph nodes under the arm), OR
•the tumor measures 2 centimeters or less and has spread to the axillary lymph nodes, OR
Stage IIB describes invasive breast cancer in which:
•the tumor is larger than 2 but no larger than 5 centimeters and has spread to the axillary lymph nodes, OR
•the tumor is larger than 5 centimeters but has not spread to the axillary lymph nodes

Stage III
Stage IIIA describes invasive breast cancer in which either:
•no tumor is found in the breast. Cancer is found in axillary lymph nodes that are clumped together or sticking to other structures, or cancer may have spread to lymph nodes near the breastbone, OR
Stage IIIB describes invasive breast cancer in which:
•may have spread to axillary lymph nodes that are clumped together or sticking to other structures, or cancer may have spread to lymph nodes near the breastbone
•Inflammatory breast cancer is considered at least stage IIIB.
Stage IIIC describes invasive breast cancer in which:
• the cancer has spread to lymph nodes above or below the collarbone, AND
•the cancer may have spread to axillary lymph nodes or to lymph nodes near the breastbone


Stage IV describes invasive breast cancer in which:
"Metastatic at presentation" means that the breast cancer has spread beyond the breast and nearby lymph nodes, even though this is the first diagnosis of breast cancer. The reason for this is that the primary breast cancer was not found when it was only inside the breast. Metastatic cancer is considered stage IV.

Additional staging information
You may also hear terms such as "early" or "earlier" stage, "later," or "advanced" stage breast cancer. Although these terms are not medically precise (they may be used differently by different doctors).

Thyroid Cancer Tips

Thyroid cancer is a disease in which malignant (cancer) cells form in the tissues of the thyroid gland. Thyroid neoplasm or thyroid cancer usually refers to any of four kinds of malignant tumors of the thyroid gland: papillary, follicular, medullary or anaplastic. As thyroid cancer can take up iodine, radioactive iodine is commonly used to treat thyroid carcinomas, followed by TSH suppression by high-dose thyroxine therapy.



There are four main types of thyroid cancer:
• Papillary thyroid cancer: The most common type of thyroid cancer.
• Follicular thyroid cancer.
• Medullary thyroid cancer.
• Anaplastic thyroid cancer.

Age, gender, and exposure to radiation can affect the risk of developing thyroid cancer.

Risk factors for thyroid cancer include the following:
• Having a history of goiter (enlarged thyroid).
• Having a family history of thyroid disease or thyroid cancer.

A test has been developed that can find the changed gene before medullary thyroid cancer appears. Thyroid cancer may not cause early symptoms. Tests that examine the thyroid, neck, and blood are used to detect (find) and diagnose thyroid cancer. A thyroid tumor may press on vocal cords. The blood may be checked for abnormal levels of thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH). It stimulates the release of thyroid hormone and controls how fast follicular thyroid cells grow. Radioactive iodine scan (RAI scan): A procedure to find areas in the body where thyroid cancer cells may be dividing quickly.

Radioactive iodine (RAI) is used because only thyroid cells take up iodine. A very small amount of RAI is swallowed, travels through the blood, and collects in thyroid tissue and thyroid cancer cells anywhere in the body. Abnormal thyroid cells take up less iodine than normal thyroid tissue. Fine-needle aspiration biopsy of the thyroid: The removal of thyroid tissue using a thin needle. Because the type of thyroid cancer can be hard to diagnose, patients should ask to have biopsy samples checked by a pathologist who has experience diagnosing thyroid cancer.

Because the type of thyroid cancer can be hard to diagnose, patients should ask to have biopsy samples checked by a pathologist who has experience diagnosing thyroid cancer.Micrograph of a lymph node with papillary thyroid carcinoma.Most often the first symptom of thyroid cancer is a nodule in the thyroid region of the neck. However, many adults have small nodules in their thyroids.

Measurement of thyroid stimulating hormone and anti-thyroid antibodies will help decide if there is a functional thyroid disease such as Hashimoto's thyroiditis present, a known cause of a benign nodular goiter.The possibility of a nodule which secretes thyroid hormone (which is less likely to be cancer) or hypothyroidism is investigated by measuring thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH), and the thyroid hormones thyroxine (T4) and triiodothyronine (T3).After thyroid cancer has been diagnosed, tests are done to find out if cancer cells have spread within the thyroid or to other parts of the body.

More Info About Thyroid Cancer is here