An endoscopic ultrasound exam allows your doctor to see if there is anything abnormal in your digestive tract (esophagus, stomach and upper small bowel) and other organs in this area.
Endoscopic ultrasound can be used for a safe biopsy of the pancreas and can help deliver a celiac axis block to relieve pain caused by pancreatic cancer.
The sample goes to a pathologist in a medical laboratory who tests it for cancer.
Pathology
Within the medical laboratory, our specialists detect the cause and nature of many health problems. They examine cells, body fluids and tissue samples as they help diagnose and treat disease.
Laparoscopy is "keyhole" surgery that allows doctors to see inside the abdomen through tiny incisions of 5 to 10 millimeters. This can reveal tumors that are too small to be found by other tests.
ECRP treats pancreatic tumors that are blocking the bile ducts.
ECRP
Endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) is a procedure used to identify stones, tumors, or narrowing in the bile ducts. The procedure is done through an endoscope.
ERCP is important in controlling jaundice seen with cancer of the head of the pancreas and bile duct. Sometimes during ERCP, a stent – a plastic or metal tube – is used to open the bile duct. This can help relieve symptoms like pain, poor digestion or itching.
Plastic stents are temporary. They help relieve symptoms until surgery is done to remove the tumor.
Metal stents stay open longer. They're more appropriate for people who do not qualify for pancreatic surgery.
PET scan (positronic emission tomography) uses radioactive glucose to find cells that grow and divide rapidly – like cancer. The use of PET in staging pancreatic cancer is evolving.
PET scan
A positron emission tomography (PET) scan is an imaging test that uses a radioactive substance (called a tracer) to look for disease in the body.
High-fat diets with a lot of red meat, pork and processed meat might cause pancreatic cancer, according to some studies. Other studies say diets high in fruits and vegetables might prevent pancreatic cancer.
Pancreatic cancer risk factors you cannot control:
People over the age of 60 have the most cases of pancreatic cancer.
More men than women are diagnosed with pancreatic cancer.
If your mother, father, sister or brother had pancreatic cancer, your risk of getting the disease triples. African Americans are more likely than Asians, Hispanics or whites to get pancreatic cancer.
An endoscopic ultrasound exam allows your doctor to see if there is anything abnormal in your digestive tract (esophagus, stomach and upper small bowel) and other organs in this area.
Pancreas protocol CT