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A community of patients, family members and friends dedicated to dealing with Pancreatic Cancer, together.
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| Pancreatic Cancer ( basic info ) |
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| Written by Frenchie | |
| 29 September 2008 | |
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Pancreatic cancer begins in the tissues of your pancreas — a large organ that lies horizontally behind the lower part of your stomach. Your pancreas secretes enzymes that aid digestion and hormones that help regulate the metabolism of sugars. Pancreatic cancer often has a poor prognosis, even when diagnosed early. Pancreatic cancer typically spreads rapidly and is seldom detected in its early stages, which is a major reason why it's a leading cause of cancer death. Signs and symptoms may not appear until pancreatic cancer is quite advanced and surgical removal isn't possible. Learning you have a life-threatening illness can be devastating. But coping with a diagnosis of pancreatic cancer can be especially difficult because the disease is nearly always fatal. As a result, you may feel overwhelmed just when you need to make crucial decisions
Pancreatic cancer begins in the tissues of your pancreas — a large organ that lies horizontally behind the lower part of your stomach. Your pancreas secretes enzymes that aid digestion and hormones that help regulate the metabolism of sugars. Pancreatic cancer often has a poor prognosis, even when diagnosed early. Pancreatic cancer typically spreads rapidly and is seldom detected in its early stages, which is a major reason why it's a leading cause of cancer death. Signs and symptoms may not appear until pancreatic cancer is quite advanced and surgical removal isn't possible. Learning you have a life-threatening illness can be devastating. But coping with a diagnosis of pancreatic cancer can be especially difficult because the disease is nearly always fatal. As a result, you may feel overwhelmed just when you need to make crucial decisions. Coming to terms with the fact that your pancreatic cancer will likely be fatal can be difficult. For some people, having a strong faith or a sense of something greater than themselves makes this process easier. Others seek counseling from someone who understands life-threatening illnesses, such as a medical social worker, psychologist or chaplain. Many people also take steps to ensure that their end-of-life wishes are known and respected.
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