Pancreatic Cancer Flashcards
State the incidence of Pancreatic Cancer.
Male = Female. 50% more than 75 years.
State the risk factors for Pancreatic Cancer.
Cigarette smoking. Diet rich in animal fat and red meat diet. Obesity. Family history. Chronic pancreatitis.
State a symptom of Pancreatic Cancer.
Dull epigastric pain (radiating to back) - worse when lying down. Jaundice (10% painless) - pale stool/dark urine. Weight loss. Sickness/indigestion. Diabetes. Blood clots - DVT. Change in bowel habit - steatorrhea.
State a sign of Pancreatic Cancer.
Jaundice. Palpable gallbladder - Courvoisier’s Law (non-tender, palpable gall bladder at night costal margin. Hepatomegaly/splenomegaly.
What might you find at right costal margin in Pancreatic Cancer?
Gall stones - repeated infection, fibrosis of gall bladder (BUT not palpable).
The intestine forms what from bilirubin?
Urobilinogen.
The liver reabsorbs urobilinogen and converts it into…
Urobilin.
What is excreted by the kidney and is yellow?
Urobilin.
Urobilinogen is reduced to what by the intestine?
Stercobilin.
What is excreted in faces by the intestine and is brown?
Stercobilin.
What happens to levels of stercobilin in faeces in Obstructive Jaundice?
Reduced stercobilin in faeces (pale stool).
What happens to levels of conjugated bilirubin in the blood in Obstructive Jaundice?
Increased level of conjugated bilirubin in blood.
Why is the urine dark in Obstructive Jaundice?
Increased level of conjugated bilirubin in blood.
Is Alanine Transferase and Aspartate Transferase Low or High in Obstructive Jaundice?
Low.
Is Alanine Transferase and Aspartate Transferase Low or High in Hepatitis?
High.
Is Alkaline Phosphatase Low or High in Hepatitis?
High.
Is Alkaline Phosphatase Low or High in Hepatitis?
Low.
State an investigation for Pancreatic Cancer.
FBC. Urea and Electrolytes. Liver Function Tests. Ca 19-9 (Pancreatic Tumour Marker).
State an imaging technique for Pancreatic Cancer.
CT scan. Transabdominal Ultrasound. ERCP (endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography)/MRCP (magnetic resonance cholangiopancreatography).
Define a Transabdominal Ultrasound.
Ultrasound used to detect the degree of biliary tract dilation obstruction.
Define ERCP.
An Endoscopic Retrograde Cholangiopancreatography. Bendable, lighted tube used to examine pancreatic and bile ducts.
Define MRCP.
A Magnetic Resonance Cholangiopancreatography. Bendable, lighted tube used to examine pancreatic and bile ducts.