Pancreatic Cancer Flashcards
What type of cancer is pancreatic cancer?
Exocrine adenocarcinoma
Which part of the pancreas is normally affected by pancreatic cancer?
The head of the pancreas
How does pancreatic cancer present?
- Obstructive jaundice
- Epigastric pain radiating to the back
- Loss of exocrine function
- Loss of endocrine function
- Migratory thrombophlebitis (Trousseau sign)
Why does pancreatic cancer present with obstructive jaundice?
Head of the pancreas grows large enough to compresses bile ducts
What are the symptoms of obstructive jaundice?
Yellowing of skin and sclera
Pale stool
Dark urine
Generalised itching
What can a loss of endocrine function cause?
Diabetes mellitus
What can a loss of exocrine function cause?
Steatorrhea
What is the gold standard investigation for pancreatic cancer?
CT scan
What will obstructive jaundice cause?
Cholestatic picture (due to obstruction of the bile ducts)
–Raised bilirubin
–Raised ALP
What is the surgical management of pancreatic cancer?
Whippel’s resection- pancreaticoduodectomy
What does whippel’s resection involve?
The removal of the
- -Head of the pancreas
- -Pylorus of the stomach
- -Duodenum
- -Gallbladder
- -Bile ducts
- -relevant lymph nodes
What does whippel’s resection involve?hat is u
The removal of the
- -Head of the pancreas
- -Pylorus of the stomach
- -Duodenum
- -Gallbladder
- -Bile ducts
- -relevant lymph nodes
What is used for the palliative management of pancreatic cancer?
ERCP-Stenting
What are possible complications of Whipple’s?
PUD
Dumping Syndrome
What can be seen on a CT of someone with pancreatic cancer?
Double duct sign
