Faced with symptoms as described above, the doctor will perform a series of tests to determine what it is. Some of the diagnostic tests used are:
* Physical examination. One of the most common ways to diagnose it is to analyze the skin and eyes of the patient for any signs of jaundice.
This condition occurs when the tumor starts to grow and obstruct the bile duct, causing the appearance of the characteristic yellow color of these patients.
This assessment can help find lumps in the abdomen, although the majority of pancreatic tumors do not grow enough to be felt. The exploration also allows you to find enlarged lymph-size in the case there is metastasis.
* Analysis. Blood tests, urine and feces can check levels of bilirubin, a substance that normally passes from the liver to the intestine through the bile duct.
However, if there is a tumor that is stuck in the bile duct, bilirubin can not ‘move’ normally, and then appreciate excessively high levels in the analysis. Remember that there are other health problems that have nothing to do with cancer and may also cause an abnormal increase in cholesterol.
Moreover, at present, researchers also work with a tumor marker, CA 19-9, secreted by tumor cells. Although it is neither very sensitive nor very specific for the diagnosis itself can be used to monitor surgical patients.
That is, the CA 19-9 levels decline significantly after the removal of the tumor, but then again increased, this may indicate to physicians that there are still unhealthy cells producing this substance.
* Scanner. X-rays can create a detailed picture of the pancreas and other organs in the abdomen for any abnormal lump or suspicious.
* Ultrasound or ultrasonography. Using ultrasonic waves, inaudible to human ears can also get a detailed glimpse of the gland. The sound waves bounce off the pancreas returning an echo that the machine becomes visual. The echo is different when it comes to healthy tissue or a cancerous tumor.
* Endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP). Through a small flexible tube or catheter is inserted a small camera to the mouth of the pancreatic duct into the small intestine. By visualizing the duct, it introduces a contrast or opaque substance that acts as a dye, and then makes an X-ray can be seen clearly that the gland or any other abnormality. The test takes about an hour.
* Percutaneous transhepatic cholangiography. An x-ray contrast is used to detect any abnormal obstruction of the bile duct. It inserts a long thin needle into the liver directly through the skin, thus the contrast can be introduced which will make visible the gland by making an X-ray later.
* Needle aspiration biopsy. Sometimes it is necessary to directly analyze a sample of tissue for malignant cells. It can be done through abdominal surgery, or even during cholangiopancreatography and cholangiography. Fine needle puncture biopsy (FNAB) is one of the most common.
These diagnostic tests are also used to know the phase in which the tumor. This is what in medical terms is known as staging, which attempts to identify the size of the tumor, whether cancer cells have spread to other parts of the body, and if so to what extent are affected.
Sometimes further tests are usually needed, more specific for it, such as MRI, laparoscopy, angiography, etc.
Tags: Diagnosis of Pancreatic Cancer, Pancreatic Cancer, Pancreatic tumors, types of cancer, types of tumor
