Surgery for the removal of pancreatic cancer is a treatment alternative considered by many oncologists to be the only form of treatment really capable of curing pancreatic cancer, however, this cure is only possible when the cancer is diagnosed in its early stage.
Pancreatic cancer is more common after the age of 60 and is very aggressive and has a survival rate of about 20% in 10 years after diagnosis, even when the person has only 1 small pancreatic adenocarcinoma with no affected lymph nodes. Patients with metastases or unresectable tumor have an average life expectancy of only 6 months. Thus, as soon as this disease is discovered, it is necessary to perform exams and schedule surgery to increase the chances of cure and prolong the patient's life span.
Types of surgery for pancreatic cancer
The main types of surgery to remove pancreatic cancer:
- Gastroduodenopancreatectomy or Whipple Surgery, consists of removing the head from the pancreas and sometimes also part of the body from the pancreas, gallbladder, common bile duct, part of the stomach and duodenum. This surgery has acceptable success rates, and can also be used as a palliative form, as it reduces the discomfort caused by the disease a little. After this surgery, digestion remains normal because the bile that is produced in the liver, food and digestive juices from the rest of the pancreas go directly to the small intestine. Duodenopancreatectomy, which is a surgical technique similar to Whipple's surgery, but the lower part of the stomach is not removed. Total pancreatectomy, which is a surgery in which the entire pancreas, duodenum, part of the stomach, spleen and gallbladder is removed. The patient may become diabetic after this surgery because he no longer produces insulin to fight high blood sugar levels because he removed the whole pancreas, which is responsible for producing insulin. Distal pancreatectomy: spleen and distal pancreas are removed.
In addition to these surgeries, there are palliative procedures that are used when the cancer is already very advanced and that include surgeries to treat the symptoms and not to cure the disease. Chemotherapy has a very limited action, being used mainly to mitigate the consequences and improve the quality of life in patients who are not able to undergo surgery or who have metastases.
Examinations before surgery
To prepare for surgery to remove the pancreatic tumor, it is necessary to perform some tests that help to identify if there are other areas affected by the tumor. Thus, exams such as multiple detector abdominal tomography, nuclear magnetic resonance imaging, echoendoscopy, positron emission tomography and laparoscopy are recommended.
Length of stay
The length of hospital stay depends on the individual's general health. Usually the person has the surgery and can go home in less than 10 days, but if there are complications, if the person has to be reoperated, the hospital stay may be longer.
