The pancreas is an organ located behind the stomach.

Symptoms

• Pain 
  Pain is a common symptom. It usually develops in the upper abdomen as a dull ache that wrap around the back.
• Weight Loss 
  People with pancreatic cancer lose weight because of lack of appetite, feeling full after eating only a small amount of food and cancer process.
• Jaundice 
  This is yellow discoloration of the eyes and skin. It is due to blockage of the bile ducts by pancreatic cancer.
• Abdominal swelling 
  In advanced cancer, patients may develop fluid in the abdominal cavity.

Diagnosis

• Blood test, Ultrasound, CTSCAN, MRI, ERCP,.
• Endoscopic Ultrasound are used to make a diagnosis and stage pancreatic cancer.

Treatment

Treatment depends on the stage of the cancer.

• Surgery – Surgery is offered to patients with early cancer i.e stage 1&2.
• Chemotherapy – Is recommended for patient with advanced cancer i.e Stage 3&4.
• ERCP + EUS – Are recommended for drainage of a blocked bile duct to pancreatic cancer.
• Multimodal treatment – Some patients benefit from a combination of surgery, chemotherapy and radiotherapy.
• Palliative care – For very advanced cancer supportive care (i.e pain relief, nutrition, emotional support) is recommended.