How many live with pancreatic cancer of the 4th stage?

How much does an average person live if he has been diagnosed with pancreatic cancer in 4 stages? Very few.

This is an extremely serious disease with very low chances of a favorable outcome.

With this diagnosis amazed many neighboring organs( liver, stomach, intestine, spleen), as well as affected by distant organs( brain, lungs).

Treatment in this case allows only a little to reduce pain and slightly prolong the patient's life.

Pancreatic Cancer

Pancreatic cancer is a malignant tumor that has infected the body and develops from the glandular ducts.

This disease is extremely serious, in the world, according to statistics, this disease ranks 4th in mortality.

The main problem of pancreatic cancer are very mild symptoms at an early stage of development.

Like other cancers, pancreatic cancer is divided into stages:

1. zero stage. The formation of a tumor in the body begins. There are no symptoms of its appearance;
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2. first stage. The tumor becomes about two centimeters in diameter, it can be diagnosed by means of examination of the body. Education is operable, the doctor will consult what diet to choose, how much to use medicines and what way of life will be right to increase life expectancy;
3. the second stage. The tumor begins to affect the lymph nodes, however, metastases are not yet formed. Chemotherapy, distal or total pancreatectomy( removal of a part of the pancreas or an entire organ) is carried out. According to statistics, approximately half of patients can be operated. After the operation, about 30% of people live for more than 10 years, if proper treatment is conducted and a healthy lifestyle is maintained;
4. the third stage. The tumor affects the nerves and blood vessels, there is no metastasis. This stage is already considered severe, after the operation is very likely the occurrence of other diseases. According to statistics, every fifth patient needs to undergo another operation in a year. The doctor will tell you how many chemotherapy courses are needed, what pain medications to drink and what diet will be most effective for the patient, to prolong life. Treatment is usually aimed at a small prolongation of the life of the patient and a reduction in pain;
5. the fourth stage. There is an intoxication of the body, a large number of healthy cells are also affected by the disease, many metastases appear, including those far from the focus of the disease. Not all hospitals take up the treatment, because the forecast is extremely unfavorable. In general, the measures are aimed at reducing pain and achieving a relatively normal state of health. More than 5 years according to statistics live less than 4% of patients, often a lethal outcome comes a few months after the operation. To prolong life helps chemotherapy, combined treatment and a healthy lifestyle. The doctor can also suggest certain natural remedies, how many take them and for how long - they also facilitate the patient's well-being and help add a few months or even years of life.

According to statistics, pancreatic cancer often affects the body head( 90%), the risk of disease in the body or tail of the body is approximately 5%.

Usually in 4 stages the tumor reaches a size of four to five centimeters, regardless of the location of the focus of the disease. They live with her very short.

Pancreatic cancer is classified as on histological structure:

• ductal adenocarcinoma - meaning that the cancer originated from pancreatic duct cells;
• cystadenocarcinoma - a tumor originated from an earlier cyst;
• mucinous adenocarcinoma;
• squamous cell carcinoma.

Causes and symptoms of cancer

Pancreatic cancer occurs when a change in the DNA of body cells, it starts to behave abnormally and multiply.

This is mainly due to other diseases - pancreatitis, the occurrence of cysts and benign tumors, which then have all the chances to develop into malignancies.

The cause of the development of the disease may be diabetes mellitus: patients with this disease should be regularly examined.

As the main causes of the appearance of malignant formations are also allocated harmful habits - smoking, alcohol abuse.

At them the probability of occurrence of a cancer of a pancreas is extremely great.

It is possible that the disease also arises from harmful work( associated with asbestos), a bad environment, previously transferred operations of the gastrointestinal tract.

Incorrect nutrition, excessive weight, lack of physical activity, sedentary lifestyle also includes a group of possible causes of the disease.

In 4 stages, pancreatic cancer is characterized by severe pain in places affected by the disease.

The following symptoms are usually indicated:

• nausea;
• vomiting;
• constipation or diarrhea;
• , with development of a tumor in the bile duct, jaundice is also possible;
• in case of development of a tumor in the stomach, there are bleeding, a change in the color of urine and feces.

Symptoms of pancreatic cancer also include weight loss( it happens almost always because the digestive processes in the body are disturbed), lack of appetite, weakness, exhaustion( both nervous and physical), itching of the skin.

Other diseases, such as pancreatitis, diabetes may occur.

Doctors observe an increase in the size of the liver and spleen - this is due to the fact that these organs work in the maximum mode due to the general intoxication of the body.

Enlarged organs are also described as symptoms of pancreatic cancer. As the symptoms highlight the increase in lymph nodes throughout the body and the possible appearance in them of secondary cancer sites.

Since, according to statistics, this disease often occurs in elderly people, they should be more careful, lead a healthy lifestyle, undergo regular body examinations.

Men are more likely to have this disease than women.

Diagnosis and treatment of pathology

In the early stages of pancreatic cancer it is extremely difficult to detect, since the tumor is very small.

For diagnosis, ultrasound of the gastrointestinal tract, computer and magnetic resonance imaging( currently the most effective diagnostic method), blood tests for the presence of cancer cells, and pancreatic biopsy are used.

Upon examination, the doctor will tell you what kind of examination is best for you and how many times you will need to do them.

Treat pancreatic cancer in different ways, depending on the stage of the disease.

If the tumor is detected at an early stage( up to stage 2, inclusive, in some cases - and 3 stages), the cancer is considered operable, and the treatment includes surgery.

Contraindications for the operation are the general poor condition of the patient, his age, the technical impossibility of removing the tumor.

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Chemotherapy is often used. It allows you to reduce the size of education, which will greatly facilitate the operation.

Chemotherapy can also be used as an independent treatment if pancreatic cancer is found to be inoperable.

Consultations with the doctor( how many courses of chemotherapy you need to take, what medicines to use, what kind of diet will be correct) will help reduce pain and prolong the life of the patient.

Pancreatic cancer can also be treated with radiotherapy, but this method is used very rarely.

Still possible palliative treatment - in this case, doctors quickly restore the patency of the gastrointestinal tract without touching the tumor itself.

Symptomatic treatment is also sometimes carried out - the patient takes painkillers and detoxification drugs to reduce pain.

The right diet is also one of the important ways to improve the patient's condition.

How many products can be eaten and which ones, it is better to check with a doctor, however some recommendations are mandatory for everyone.

It is forbidden to eat fatty, smoked, spicy, salty foods, beans, sweet, buns, sour vegetables and fruits, carbonated drinks.

You can eat dietary meat, cereals, kefir, fresh non-acidic vegetables. Tea and compote of dried fruits you can drink as much as you want. All this helps the patients improve life a little and prolong it.

Video:

It is impossible to treat pancreatic cancer in 4 stages - the treatment is aimed only at reducing pain and a small prolongation of the patient's life.

The main problem is that only in the late stages begin to show some symptoms of the disease.

In the early stages, with proper treatment, healthy diet and lifestyle, the likelihood of a favorable postoperative outcome is high.