At least once or twice a month I like to post real information: good for your health. We also have health tips and quizzes you can take at www.ehsecrets.com. This begins a series on the Endocrine system, starting with the Pancreas since it has been in the news alot recently with discussion of pancreatic cancer. But this article is geared for the 60+ crowd on how the pancreas works and what itdoes for us. I extracted it from our free monthly health newsletter that you can subscribe to free on our site ericksonhealth.com.
The Pancreas: Dual Operator
The pancreas is a gland located behind the stomach that is part of both the digestive and the endocrine systems. It secretes digestive enzymes that travel into the small intestine and break down protein, fats, and carbohydrates. The pancreas also manufactures the hormones insulin and glucagon before sending them into the bloodstream to regulate sugar levels.
If the pancreas isn’t functioning properly, several medical issues may arise:
Diabetes: Insulin deficiency, also known as diabetes, is closely tied to the pancreas. Type I diabetes, usually diagnosed in adolescents, results from the pancreas’ inability to produce insulin. “Type II diabetes really has more to do with insulin resistance in the body. Cells that respond to insulin are not as sensitive to it as they might be; therefore, the pancreas has to produce more insulin to keep the body functioning normally,” says Philip Taylor, M.D., Erickson Health physician and medical director at Maris Grove in Glen Mills, Pa.
Symptoms of diabetes are extreme thirst, increased urination, fatigue, large-volume urination, rapid weight loss, and high blood sugar levels. Insulin injections and anti-diabetic drugs coupled with maintaining a healthy diet and exercise regimen are possible treatments.
Pancreatitis: Pancreatitis is inflammation of the pancreas. Usually it occurs due to blockage in the ducts from which the pancreas secretes digestive enzymes. The enzymes then begin to digest the pancreas itself. “The inflammation can result from things such as alcohol, high triglycerides [type of fats], gall stones, and some medications,” says Taylor. Symptoms of pancreatitis include central abdominal pain, loss of appetite, vomiting, increased pain with eating, and abdominal swelling. “If you suspect pancreatitis, a simple CAT scan will be able to tell you if there is edema [swelling] of the pancreas consistent with pancreatitis,” says Taylor.
Depending on the severity and frequency of pancreatitis (some people experience it chronically), treatment varies. If gall stones are the cause, the inflammation may clear up on its own. Other cases could require drainage of ducts through surgical or endoscopic procedures and medication. Hospitalization may be necessary.
Pancreatic Cancer: Pancreatic cancer, or a malignant tumor in the tissues of the pancreas, is one of the leading causes of cancer deaths in the U.S. It occurs when the cells in the pancreas mutate, grow, and eventually accumulate into a tumor. Symptoms include jaundice, weight loss, depression, upper abdominal pain that travels to the back, and loss of appetite. “A tumor at the head of the pancreas may be painless. That’s why pancreatic cancer is usually diagnosed after it’s too late—the symptoms come late in the course,” says Taylor. “If it’s at the tail of the pancreas, you get pain. In both cases, you get weight loss.
“Diagnosis can take a number of forms. Occasionally you need to do an ERCP [endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography] or an endoscopic ultrasound,” says Taylor. “There are people who have a strongly positive history of pancreatic cancer. Those individuals may want to enter into an aggressive screening program at centers conducting imaging and/or endoscopic studies, but that is not recommended for the general population.”
Treatments include surgery, chemotherapy, radiation therapy, targeted drug therapy, and clinical trials.
Pancreas Protection: While it may be difficult to treat pancreatic malfunction, there are preventive measures people can take. Quitting smoking is the most highly recommended, followed by maintaining a healthy weight, eating a healthy diet, and exercising several times a week. Taylor also advises moderating alcohol intake and controlling high triglycerides through diet and/or medication
