How to deal with Pancreatic cancer?

Unlike other cancers, pancreatic cancer starts on the ducts which carry the secretions of the pancreas. This is also called pancreatic carcinoma. When it reaches the lymph nodes, it spreads to even other nearby organs like lungs and liver. When the cancer spreads to the cells of glucagons and insulin, it is called islet cell tumor since the alpha and beta cells of the islets of langerhans are affected. Pancreatic cancer is less common in Asians than in Americans. Cigarette smokers are at a higher risk than the nonsmokers. Also there is an elevated risk of pancreas cancer if the person suffers from chronic pancreatitis. The symptoms are not often shown at early stages, it is found at the advanced stage only. The most common symptoms are severe pain in the abdomen, vomiting, nausea, loss of appetite and weight loss. Jaundice also occurs when the patient suffers from pancreatic cancer. Since it doesn’t show any early signs, it is known as silent disease. Initially it can be diagnosed by physical exam, where the eyes and skin are checked for jaundice. It can also be diagnosed through other lab tests which checks for the level of bilirubin and even other substances. CT scan is also used for diagnosis of pancreatic cancer.