Pancreatitis and pancreatic cancer
Common Questions and Answers about Pancreatitis and pancreatic cancer
pancreatitis
I would like to know your thoughts about my condition and what my chances are of developing pancreatic cancer now, because I am only 22 and have already had an unknown case if pancreas inflammation and my blood levels are still abnormal till this day. Just to recap, I had mild pain and abnormal stools, high lipase and amylase (still high to this day, but getting better says my doctor), inflammation shown on mrcp, nothing shown on CT scan, and still abnormal stools.
Ca 19-9 can also be elevated in conditions like gallstones, cirrhosis, pancreatitis and cholecystitis.Other tests used for diagnosing pancreatic cancer are CT scan/MRI, ERCP and percutaneous needle biopsy. Any test result has to be correlated clinically. If you are still in doubt get your doubts clarified after consulting your doctor. Hope it helps.
Best luck and regards!
Hi,
Scars and calcification in the pancreas are features of chronic pancreatitis. In this condition, the secretion of enzymes and hormones from the pancreas gets affected and this effect depends on how much of the pancreas is affected.
There will poor absorption of the nutrients resulting in weightloss and nutritional problems. It may cause diabetes mellitus. It is also a risk factor for pancreatic cancer though the risk is not 100%.
CA 19-9 can be elevated with pancreatic cancer but can also be elevated with pancreatitis or hepatobiliary disorders. It sounds like your husband has at least pancreatitis based on CT, but it is unusual that the other blood work was normal. Usually pancreatitis presents with elevated amylase and/or lipase. Significant weight loss is concerning for cancer. Jaundice, dark urine, and light stools would also be concerning if present.
Since all your lab works and imaging studies are otherwise normal and you never had any bout of pancreatitis before, a wait and watch policy is likely to be the best course of action for you. Also, the risk of surgery to pancreas is high, so since the side branch lesions are usually harmless, a wait and watch policy is adopted for most lesions less than 3 cm which do not cause dilatation of the main pancreatic duct nor have a solid mass or nodule within them.
//www.webmd.com/cancer/pancreatic-cancer/causes-pancreatic-cancer
Symptoms of pancreatic cancer are found at this link. https://www.webmd.com/cancer/pancreatic-cancer/pancreatic-cancer-symptoms#1 When they speak of light stools they are speaking in terms of jaundice which usually has other symptoms such as yellow skin or eyes. Do you have that as well? If not, I'd not necessarily associate light stools with pancreatic cancer. GERD is likely to cause yellow stools.
I recently had an ultrasound that said I had a borderline enlarged pancreatic duct (4.2 mm). I do not have pancreatitis. I am wondering about causes, if there are any besides cancer or pancreatitis. That is all I have found on this subject. Am scared.
m so worried about the pancreatic node and wonder if this could be the start of cancer. Angie had cholangiocarcinoma and she had had some vomiting too and my former dvm kept blowing me off about other urinary symptoms so it was discovered later and after Convenia caused severe anemia. I wonder how we can tell if it is cancer starting from possible pancreatitis? I feel she may have had that and it lead to her cancer. I want to prevent it in Wiz if possible.
After each procedure I also got pancreatitis. Because of this and a history of pancreatic cancer does this increase my chances of pancreatic cancer? Your thoughts on this would be greatly appreaciated.
Since calcification of pancreas is to be investigated further, it can be better done by a CT scan. Various causes of pancreatic calcification include chronic alcoholic pancreatitis, primary pancreatic tumor (ductal adenocarcinoma), Islet cell tumors, intraductal papillary mucinous neoplasms, mucinous or macrocystic cystadenomas or cystadenocarcinomas, serous cystadenomas, and metastasis from other cancers. The list is daunting and naturally you will be tense reading this.
What are the odds of chronic pancreatitis turning into pancreatic cancer if now a lesion has been detected on the pancreas?
However, my Amylase continues to be elevated and I am concerned, as is my doctor, about chronic pancreatitis leading to pancreatic cancer. I do not drink Alcohol and have not for 20 years. Can you offer any ideas for cause of the pancreatic enzyme elevation and treatments?
The presence of sludge/stones that can be expelled from the GB, enter the common bile duct and irritate that structure can result in spasms and/or blockages that impact the junction of the common bile duct/pancreatic duct and result in pancreatitis.
Further, cases of gallbladder issues and GERD can produce similar symptoms.
You may want to return to your doctor and discuss the issue.
I have had an ultra sound and MRCP and both came back normal, the MRCP showed inflammation of my pancreas, I am concerned because my stools are still pale and greasy and my Lipase and Amal. levels are still high. Could i have pancreatic cancer???
It can also be elevated with gallstones, cirrhosis, pancreatitis, and cholecystitis. Do you already have a diagnosis of pancreatic cancer?
After reading the article I have become obsessed with dying of pancreatic cancer. My doctors and gastro doctor all tell me that pancrease is fine, CT 2.5 year ago and MRI confirmed it recently.
I spent countless hours reading these medical reports and I feel I know way too much. It's my fault and too late to erase all the facts.
Any advice on how to get through this? My psychiatrist has me on Avitan & Zoloft, which I don't take.
Increased lipase and LDH are increased either in pancreatitis, or when pancreatic cancer is present with pancreatitis. But cancer may go without pancreatitis, so enzyme levels are not necessary high.
3. Foamy urine may be from bilirubin in urine (which is likely, if urine is darker as usualy) or from excessive proteins in urine, and this may be due to kidney disease.
Beside thinking on pancreatic cancer, don't forget to biliary tract disease.
could be pancreas,but if it were,i think you would have more issues....severe weight loss,throwing up alot,hpspitalizations exct.
sounds like you might have crohns disease.
id check into that,,its more digestive then organ i think,and i kinda know,i have a close friend with chronic pancreatitis.
The tumor marker CA 199 has a sensitivity of 80% to 90% and a specificity of 85% to 95% in diagnosing pancreatic cancer in patients presenting with signs and symptoms suggestive of pancreatic cancer
As you already know, pancreatitis is one of the more frustrating and difficult medical problems a person can be faced with. Since you already know what is causing the problem (sludge in the duct) is there a reason the doctor hasn't perfomed an ERCP to clean it out? Placement of stents can sometimes help to keep the duct open a bit further to prevent more sludge formation, but they also tend to fall out.
The immune system mistakenly attacks healthy pancreas tissue, causing inflammation and hardening. Symptoms closely mimic pancreatic cancer (pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma), but the disease process is different. It can be a multisystem disorder in which the disease can affect other parts of the body. So the possibility of AIP needs to be checked out.
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