The topic of the article is duodenal cancer and the first symptoms of the disease. This topic will be discussed in detail below. We will learn about symptoms, diagnosis, treatment, as well as prognosis given by specialists. Everything you need to know about this oncological disease, read the article.
What is it about?
Cancer of the duodenum is a disease that occurs in men and women with the same frequency. It most often affects people over 55 years of age. Young people are also prone to pathologies of the 12th colon, but these cases are rare.
Reasons
To begin with, it is worth noting that the nature and causes of oncology for doctors are still a mystery. This means that doctors make certain assumptions, but it is impossible to say that it is a specific factor that causes oncology. Primary, that is, the main causes are unknown even to science, but you can dwell on the secondary causes of cancer, that is, talk about risk factors. They may contribute to the development of cancer12 duodenal ulcer.
Risk factors
It is believed that cancer can occur for a number of reasons. The following causes can contribute to duodenal cancer:
- tobacco and alcohol abuse, drug addiction;
- pancreatitis, diabetes, or urinary stones;
- eating too much animal food;
- genetics.
Other risk factors are also the ecological situation of the environment, chemical exposure and exposure to carcinogens. The appearance of a tumor can also contribute to the use of animal fats, because as a result, the level of cholecystokinin increases, and this, in turn, can lead to hyperplasia of the upper cover of the digestive tract.
Recently, researchers have discovered the fact that some components of coffee can also contribute to cancer. Therefore, excessive consumption of this drink should be added to the possible reasons.
Pathogenesis
The development of oncology is distinguished by cancer of the duodenal papilla, as well as cancer of the bile duct. The tumor does not affect the intestine completely, but only a few areas. Most often, these are the upper and lower horizontal parts, and the descending section. The clinical course of the disease largely depends on the location of the cancer.
Location location
Cancer of the descending colon 12 is very common, aboutin 75% of cases. It develops from the epithelium of the common mucosa. Establishing the exact localization is always difficult, especially if the examination is carried out in the later stages. Duodenal cancer, the first symptoms of which may not immediately catch the eye, is therefore dangerous, because the treatment is difficult in itself, but in the last stages a person has little chance.
The upper horizontal part of the intestine is the site of cancer in only 12-15% of cases. Tumors in the lower horizontal part are also called infrapapillary cancer. Its frequency is up to 10%.
Symptoms
How does duodenal cancer manifest itself? The first symptoms are very similar to those that people experience with stomach cancer. In order to detect cancer in time, oncologists deduced three groups of possible signs.
The first group falls under the phenomenon of intoxication. It is characterized by abdominal pain, loss of appetite, apathy and weight loss. There is also a complete indifference to the outside world.
The second group concerns the obturation phenomenon. It all starts when the tumor begins to put pressure on other organs. At this time, bile hypertension begins, the liver increases in size, the feces become colorless. There may be jaundice. Doctors note violations in the work of the cardiovascular system, kidney and liver failure may appear, as well as metabolic processes.
The phenomenon of compression occurs in the last stages of the disease, when a person feels severe pain fromthat the tumor presses on the nerve endings of the pancreas.
Difficult body from the point of view of physicians is the duodenum. Where it is located and how it hurts, not all people know. The intestine is located immediately below the stomach on the right side, above the navel. Pain in cancer can be different, much depends on the stage of the disease and the localization of the duodenal disease. Where it is located and how it hurts, you can ask the doctor if there is a suspicion of oncology.
It is not easy to determine the disease on your own. Symptoms of duodenal cancer at an early stage cannot be detected, since the disease is asymptomatic. But after a while, a person begins to think about his he alth because he begins to suffer from regular pain in the abdomen. How does duodenal cancer manifest itself over time? The main symptoms include severe abdominal pain, rapid weight loss, jaundice, fever, itchy skin, and loss of appetite.
Advanced cancer
The stage of duodenal cancer has 4. In the first three stages, treatment can still help the patient, but in the last stage it is not always possible to help, because not everything depends on the treatment. However, there have been such cases.
It is worth talking about the symptoms of cancer in the later stages because at this moment it can provoke complications in the work of other organs. Most often, the disease manifests itself with general signs of intoxication. The following manifestations are also possible:
- temperature;
- dry mucous membranes;
- reluctanceeat food;
- vomiting, diarrhea, constipation, nausea;
- yellowing of the skin;
- general weakness of the body;
- psychological problems.
Even if a person ignores all the symptoms and does not want to see a doctor, it is imperative to pay attention to the following signs of illness:
- vomiting after eating, after which it still seems that the stomach is full;
- blood in feces;
- jaundice.
It is worth noting that the signs of duodenal cancer in men are the same as in women.
Diagnosis
To cure the disease, it is very important to start treatment on time, and for this it is necessary to detect cancer. To date, the diagnosis is carried out by laboratory and instrumental methods. An analysis of tumor markers for stomach and duodenal cancer will help to identify cancer cells in time. It is worth noting that tumor markers are substances that promote the production of cancer cells. Diagnosis consists of three stages:
- To begin with, an analysis of pathologies and an anamnesis is carried out. The doctor examines the patient, palpates the abdomen. Human clinical complaints are taken into account, such as vomiting, pain, loss of appetite.
- At the second stage, a laboratory study of the patient is carried out, consisting of a general blood test, urine and feces tests, a biochemical blood test and a tumor marker.
- The third stage is an instrumental examination.
The last step is the mostimportant in the diagnosis of duodenal cancer. The first symptoms may be erroneous or indicate another disease, but an instrumental study allows you to make an accurate diagnosis. The doctor conducts esophagogastroduodenoscopy, in which the esophagus, stomach, bile duct and 12-fingered intestine are examined. During the analysis, tissues are taken for biochemical analysis.
After that, the doctor refers the patient to a chest x-ray and a contrast x-ray of the duodenum and stomach. Also, the doctor may prescribe an ultrasound, magnetic resonance and computed tomography. At the same time, the patient is being examined by all specialists.
Treatment
Every year more and more common is duodenal cancer. It is impossible to answer how many people live with such a disease, because everything depends not only on the stage at which treatment began, but also on the general he alth of the body, its ability to resist the disease.
Usually, treatment is carried out according to the classical scheme. First, the tumor is removed surgically. Partial removal of the duodenum may be required. Surgery is recommended for people under 75, but only if there has been no metastasis.
After surgical removal of the tumor, chemotherapy is carried out, which is necessary to consolidate the result. It is mandatory, as it guarantees the destruction of pathological cells and their growth.
Radiation therapy most oftencarried out in the early stages of the disease, when it is possible to cure the patient without surgery.
At the end or beginning of treatment, therapy may be required to relieve the patient of symptoms. In the beginning, it is needed to help a person undergo treatment, and in the end it is a final measure.
Surgery
Surgical treatment can have 3 options. Removal of part of the intestine is necessary in all three cases. The first situation, the most severe, occurs when the tumor extends to the excretory duct and doudenal papilla. In this case, the doctor removes not only part of the 12th colon, but also part of the duct and head of the pancreas. If the tumor is small, a circular resection is performed, which means the removal of only the affected part of the organ with possible restoration. The third option is also called a circular resection, but they resort to it when the intestine is connected end to end, which is also possible.
Forecast
The doctor can predict the future of the patient if he knows when the treatment began. The following factors are very important: a person's age, the presence of metastases and inflammatory processes in the organs of the gastrointestinal tract. The situation worsens if metastases are found in the stomach, lymphatic system and bile ducts. Possible complications can lead to the failure of the genitourinary system. Sometimes there is a stenosis of the 12th colon, regular bleeding. It is worth saying that the overall prognosis for patients is unfavorable, but not hopeless. The problem is inthat it is very difficult to detect cancer in the early stages, when treatment is almost guaranteed to help.
To protect yourself from this terrible disease and the occurrence of cancer of any other organs, you should give up bad habits and revise your diet. As simple as these tips may seem, they really work. Proper nutrition and avoiding smoking and alcohol can protect a person from a number of diseases, and not only cancer.
We learned about what duodenal cancer is, as well as everything about its course and treatment. Unfortunately, no one can be guaranteed to protect themselves from oncology. We have already talked about the importance of a he althy lifestyle, but no less important is an attentive attitude to yourself and the signals of your body. Sometimes it's better to go to the doctor again and get checked.
