Pancreatic Cancer Therapy
Pancreatic cancer is difficult to prevent at its early stage. It is not possible to decide treatment for pancreatic cancer in the early stage, as its symptoms are not enough to signalize disease. Hence, the case goes out of prevention plan when it is detected.
There are two major therapies that prove successful in treating pancreatic cancer. These two therapies are:
- Chemotherapy
- Radiation Therapy
Many people who have gone through the chemotherapy and radiation therapy feel no symptoms of pancreatic cancer. These are the only treatments that will relieve a patient from the severe pains of pancreatic cancer.
Pancreatic Cancer Chemotherapy
Chemotherapy is very helpful for reducing the pains of and other damages caused by pancreatic cancer cells. The anticancer drugs are used in chemotherapy to prevent pancreatic cancer cells' growth. On contrary, chemotherapy also causes some side effects like nausea, fatigue, vomiting, and hair loss.
The drugs used in Chemotherapy kill the cancer cells and stops them from being divided. Chemotherapy can be applied alone or combined with other therapy like radiation therapy. It can also be performed with surgery.
In Systematic Chemotherapy, anticancer drugs can be taken by mouth or directly injected into the patient's body. These drugs travel within the veins and bloodstreams to reach all parts of body to affect the cancer cells. Anticancer drugs remain effective for a specific area where chemotherapy is administered.
Side Effects of Chemotherapy
Chemotherapy has different side effects as per the doses and drugs. Hence, the side effects vary from one patient to another. The most harmful side effect of chemotherapy is the damage of blood cells. Blood cells play vital role in blood clot and carrying oxygen to the distant organs of body. If these blood cells are damaged by anticancer drugs, patients become more susceptible to infections, unable to stop bleeding.
Other side effects of chemotherapy include the hair loss and digestive problem. The anticancer drugs damage the cells that support hair roots and digestive tract. Therefore, patients can experience vomiting, nausea and poor appetite. These side effects are common during the treatments or after the treatments of pancreatic cancer.
Pancreatic Cancer Radiation Therapy
Radiation therapy can be used to destroy pancreatic cancer cells that are remained after surgery. It relieves patients from the pains of pancreatic cancer. Radiation therapy has some of the similar side effects that are cause by chemotherapy. These side effects involve diarrhea, vomiting, nausea and fatigue.
This therapy employs high-energy x-rays for killing the cancer cells. Pancreatic cancer radiation therapy can be administered in two ways:
- Internal radiation therapy in which radioactive substance is placed near to the cancer affected area.
- External radiation therapy in which radiation are send to the cancer affected area.
The use of pancreatic cancer radiation therapy depends upon the stage of the cancer. Radiation therapy can be employed alone for pancreatic cancer treatment. In some cases, doctors may recommend to use it with combination of surgery or chemotherapy.
