Pancreatic Cancer Remains One of the Most Challenging Cancers to Diagnose and Treat скачать в хорошем качестве

Pancreatic Cancer Remains One of the Most Challenging Cancers to Diagnose and Treat

Key points from today’s guests: Chris Barreca, pancreatic cancer patient • Chris woke up one night in the summer of 2020 to an unbelievable pain in his abdomen. • He let it go for about a week, but he started turning yellow and jaundiced. • He was told to go to the emergency room – and during the height of the pandemic – that was a challenge. • But the ER told him immediately to go to The University of Kansas Cancer Center, where they were able to treat this father of six. • He had a complicated surgery that was successful, and Chris finished chemotherapy for treatment of pancreatic cancer a few years ago. • He sees Dr. Kasi every few months for tests and fortunately, there have been no recurrent signs of cancer. Dr. Anup Kasi, medical oncologist, The University of Kansas Cancer Center • Pancreatic cancer can be hard to catch in the early stages because the symptoms are so common – weight loss, loss of appetite, fatigue. • Jaundice is a clearer symptom, but it presents itself in later stage pancreatic cancer. • Currently, there is no standard screening system for pancreatic cancer. • About 10-15 percent of pancreatic cancer can be genetic. In the case of Chris, he did not have any underlying genetic mutation that would be disease-causing. • The complicated surgery – called the Whipple procedure – removed part of the pancreas, gallbladder, and small intestine. • Pancreatic cancer is an aggressive cancer, and we want to be aggressive with our treatment approach. • There are new clinical trials underway for pancreatic cancer vaccines. Dr. Dana Hawkinson, medical director of Infection Prevention and Control, The University of Kansas Health System • The hospital COVID count for this week is steady at 24 inpatients. • Two new U.S. cases of Alaska pox and bubonic plague have made headlines. • These seem to be isolated cases related to potential interaction with rodents and possibly pets. • Make sure flea and tick medication for pets is up to date. • There has been no human-to-human spread of either disease. Wednesday, Feb. 14 at 8 a.m. is the next Open Mics with Dr. Stites. It’s Valentine’s Day and that means it is time to delve into the science of love – the surprising health benefits of a loving relationship. Visit our website, www.kansashealthsystem.com or findadoctor.kansashealthsystem.com.