Pancreatic Cancer and Diseases

Pancreas is the most important hormone and digestive fluid-secreting organ of the digestive system. Pancreatic tissue has the appearance of slightly hard fatty tissue. Inflammation of the pancreatic gland is called pancreatitis. Pancreatitis is classified as mild, moderate and severe pancreatitis. While mild pancreatitis recovers in a short time, severe pancreatitis is a severe condition that causes severe damage to the pancreatic tissue and internal organs and may result in death.

While the most common cause of pancreatitis in our country is caused by stones falling into the bile duct (Acute Biliary Pancreatitis), the most common cause in European countries is alcohol. One of the important reasons for surgery recommended for patients with gallstones is to protect our patients from this condition. Pancreatic cancers are common cancers and are often incurable at the time of diagnosis. While patients mostly present with jaundice and weight loss, pain is not expected in these patients.

However, it should be known that gallbladder stones are also observed in a group of patients. This may sometimes create diagnostic difficulties. Pancreatic cancers are usually located in the head. Patients who can benefit from surgery must undergo surgery. These are generally patients with small tumors, surrounding lymph nodes that are clean, and no spread to organs such as the liver.

The main treatment for advanced stage tumors that have spread to surrounding organs, invaded the vessels in the region, and spread to the lymph nodes is medical oncological treatment, that is, chemotherapy.

Check-up screening programs for patients over the age of 40 are important in the early diagnosis of these and similar diseases. Pancreatic cancer surgeries performed under the name Whipple surgery are special surgeries and should be performed by experienced teams.