Pancreatic Cancer - Research Paper Example

Pancreatic Cancer Cancer has become one of the highest disease killers in the world. The horrible thing about cancer is that it is non-discrimative based on age, gender, ethnicity, etc. It also can affect almost any organ in the body as well as form at anytime. Even though scientists and medical researchers have been searching for a cure for cancers, it is hard to pinpoint the cause due to the fact that some cancers can be caused by genetic factors, while others are caused by environmental factors; some just occur randomly.

One certainty about cancer is that it is characterized by uncontrolled cellular growth, which occurs as a result of the cells being unable to regulate the mitotic cycle, thus often resulting in tumors, or massive cancer cell bodies, in the affected areas of the body. The pancreas is an organ in the body, which is designed to help break down fats, which are ingested as food. It is also responsible for the secretion of Insulin, which is a hormone responsible for helping regulate sugar levels within the body.

There has been research, which has shown that there are some genetic factors that make a person more predisposed to the development of cancer. In addition, as a person ages, the risk for developing pancreatic cancer increases. Smokers and people suffering from obesity are also at an extreme risk of developing pancreatic cancer. At first, like most cancers, the development of the cancer can go unnoticed. Some symptoms of the development and presence of pancreatic cancer can include pain in the abdomen, jaundice, nausea, changes in weight, fatigue, and a host of other symptoms.

Once these symptoms have started, there are a few ways that doctors and medical practitioners use in order to identify if a person has pancreatic cancer. CTs and MRIs of the abdomen will allow doctors to identify tumors, if any, that have formed as well as there are a number of biochemical tests that can be run to detect the presence of cancer cells in and around the pancreas such as liver function tests and blood count tests ("PubMed Health"). There is no cure for any type of cancer; however there are many procedures and medications that can be used to slow down the cancer and hopefully put it into remission.

A procedure known as the Whipple can be used to remove some tumors from a pancreas if they have been formed. A common form of inavasive treatment is the use of chemotherapy in order to destroy the cancer cells, however it also will destroy some good cells during the process, which can play host to the development of other physiological problems. Medications can also be prescribed to both combat the cancer as well as alleviate the symptoms (Reber 171-260). Like most cancers, it has the ability to affect other systems of the body as well as cause other physiological concerns.

Because the entire system is connected by the circulatory system, the spread of cancer cells is sometimes likely to occur. The threat of blood clots and other infections is also likely. The prognosis of the disease is that eventually it will lead to death, unless the cancer can enter a state of remission or the entire cancer body can be removed through the use of surgical techniques. References "Pancreatic carcinoma." PubMed Health. National Center for Biotechnology Information, 09 Aug 2010. Web.

16 May 2011. . Reber, Howard. Pancreatic Cancer: Pathogenesis, Diagnosis, and Treatment. Totowa, NJ: Humana Press Inc, 1998. 171-260. Print.