Pancreatic cancer is one of the most insidious oncological diseases, which is the fourth most lethal in the world. The insidiousness of this type of cancer is the absence of obvious symptoms until metastases appear, i.e. until the onset of the last stages. That is why 80% of pancreatic cancer cases are diagnosed at the metastasis stage.
Clinics in Israel annually receive hundreds of medical tourists from all over the world suffering from this cancer. Trust in Israeli oncologists is the result of the innovative treatment protocols implementation and high treatment efficiency, which is 10-15% higher than in the best European and American clinics.
Risk factors
Statistically, men over the age of 65 are more likely to suffer from pancreatic cancer. However, it often affects women in this age group, as well as young people of both sexes who are at least in one of the risk groups.
- Excessive consumption of alcoholic beverages.
- Smoking tobacco, including hookahs, electronic cigarettes, etc.
- The predominance of too fatty and very spicy foods in the diet.
- Cirrhosis of the liver.
- Diabetes mellitus.
The risk factors for the development of a malignant tumor include the so-called, precancerous diseases: chronic pancreatitis, adenoma and pancreatic cyst.
Symptoms of pancreatic cancer
The symptoms of this type of cancer are not very expressive. Before metastases appear, the malignant neoplasm practically does not reveal itself and does not disrupt the patient’s usual way of life. In some cases, when the tumor compresses the bile ducts, mechanical jaundice may be seen.
All the symptoms are not specific and have only common features with any cancer: gratuitous loss of weight and appetite, excessive fatigue, constantly elevated body temperature, etc.
Cancer diagnosis
- Laboratory blood tests (CBC, biochemistry, cancer markers).
- Computer (CT) and magnetic resonance (MRI) tomography.
- Ultrasound examination (ultrasound).
- Retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) – radiography with injection of contrast agent through an inserted endoscope.
- Biopsy of pancreatic tissues.
- Genetic study of cancer.
Treatment of pancreatic cancer in Israel
- Pancreatoduodenal resection (Whipple’s operation) – removal of the affected part of the organ. In most cases, such operations are performed in Israeli clinics using a minimally invasive laparoscopic or robotic method, including using the latest-generation high-precision robot surgeon Da Vinci.
- Targeted treatment – special medical drugs that act only in a cancerous tumor, leaving healthy tissues unaffected.
- High-precision radiation therapy.
- Gentle chemotherapy with drugs of new generation is prescribed by Israeli oncologists for the treatment of pancreatic cancer to reduce the size of the tumor before surgery and prevent the spread of metastases.
Surgical removal of a tumor in the pancreas is a very complex and long procedure. Whipple’s operation is performed in two stages:
- laparoscopic diagnostics;
- resection, if at the first stage the doctor is convinced that the neoplasm is operable.
Such a surgery requires a surgeon to be high skilled and experienced. Due to these qualities of Israeli doctors cancer patients from all over the world come to Israeli clinics. In addition, all conditions are present in Israel for comfortable postoperative rehabilitation, which can last up to two weeks.