Evaluation Of A Old End Stage Cancer Patient

According to Professor John Neoptolemos, "There are approximately 7,000 new cases each year - but it is one of the most lethal cancers." The main reason for the low survival rate from pancreatic cancer is due to its difficulty in finding this cancer early. By the time a person has symptoms, the cancer has often reached a large size and spread to other organs. Because the pancreas is deep inside the body, the doctor cannot see or feel tumors during a routine physical exam. There are currently no blood tests or other tests that can easily find this cancer early in people without symptoms. Tests for certain genes in people with a family history of the disease can help tell if they are at higher risk for cancer. There are some new tests for finding pancreatic cancer early in people with a strong family history of the disease, but these tests are complicated and expensive. Some symptoms of pancreatic cancer include jaundice, a yellow color of the eyes and skin caused by a substance buildup in the liver, pain in the belly area or in the middle of the back, significant weight loss over a number of months, loss of appetite, digestive problems including nausea, vomiting, pain that tends to be worse after eating, a swollen gallbladder that is enlarged, blood clots that form in the veins or cause problems with fatty tissue under the skin, and diabetes. If the doctor has any reason to suspect pancreatic cancer, certain tests will be done to see if the disease is really

To further my insight into the medical field I have done four months of volunteer work at Jackson Memorial Hospital where I could see first-hand the necessities’ patients go through, their needs, their suffering and the human character to the profession, how humble it makes you feel and how self-rewarding it is to be able to help others in need. It is especially moving to go over the children’s section, for those receiving chemotherapy looks on their faces and as young as they are they know what they are going through, and their comments can hit you as a rock for children can be very expressive about their condition, and you must do all that is possible to try to put on a good face and help them the best way you can. This is extremely hard not only for the family members but for the professionals who have to deal in this type of life experiences daily which as routinely as it may seem, it doesn’t stop you from impacting you at a personal

When spreading through the body there are certain stages the cancer has to go through to expand. Stage 0. There is no spread.The cancer is limited to only one cell in the pancreas. Stage I: The cancer is only limited to the pancreas cell, but has moved at least two centimeters. Not yet visible in screening tests. Stage II: The cancer has grown outside the pancreas and may have spread to the lymph nodes. Stage III: The tumor has spread drastically making it now possible for the tests to detect the tumor,increasing the possibility for it expand into the blood vessels or nerves. Stage IV: The cancer has spread to different organs of the body.("Pancreatic Cancer Treatments by Stage") The first place to attack after spreading would be the stomach, then it would expand to the liver. After the cancer reaches these points, it travels to other places in the body. ("Treating Pancreatic Cancer, Based on Extent of the Cancer").

On this 9/3/15 worker visited the residence of Mr. Alvin Higgins, for the purpose of making first victim contact. Mr. Greg Nunn, RN with New Beacon Hospice greeted worker outside of the residence. Mr. Nunn stated he called the residence about 3 1/2 hours before arriving and Ms. Betty Griffith was not home. However, her daughter Gina Craven and her boyfriend, Kenneth Woods was at the home. When he arrived, the door was unlocked and Mr. Higgins was lying in his bed located in the living room. After being there for several minutes, Mr. Woods came into the living room and asked if he needed anything. Mr. Nunn told him no and Mr. Woods walked toward the back of the house. Medically Mr. Higgins diagnoses are late stage Alzheimer's. He is bedbound, hard of hearing, and unable to communicate.

Before beginning, I would like to preface my remarks with one disclaimer. I am currently an Assistant Professor of Medicine, on the faculty at the University of Virginia School of Medicine. Additionally, I serve as Medical Director of our in-patient hospice and palliative care unit. Moreover, I serve on the board of our local hospice organization, Hospice of the Piedmont, where I also serve as Associate Medical Director. Though my work with these organizations has greatly enhanced nd deepened my commitment to the care of the terminally ill, I in no way claim to speak for or on behalf of any of the institutions for which I serve. The opinions expressed below and in my written testimony are entirely my own.

The problem with pancreatic cancer is that it usually spreads before any symptoms appear. Doctors aren 't sure what cause pancreatic cancer, but they know it is more common in men, smokers, people with diabetes, and African Americans (Pancreatic Cancer, 2013). According The Sol Goldman Pancreatic Cancer Research Center smoking doubles the risk of pancreatic cancer. Cigarettes, cigars, pipes and chewing tobacco all increase pancreatic cancer risk. A large Cancer Research UK study looking at lifestyle factors found that nearly 1 in 3 pancreatic cancers (about 30%) may be linked to smoking. Cigarette smoke contains chemicals called nitrosamines. Nitrosamines are carcinogenic. They are found in some foods and drinks as well as in cigarette smoke. Scientists are not exactly sure why smoking affects pancreatic cancer risk, but they think it may be the nitrosamines. Stopping smoking reduces the risk. It takes about 20 years after stopping smoking for the pancreatic cancer risk to fall to the same

There are two kinds of pancreatic cancer. There is the endocrine tumors and the exocrine tumors. Endocrine tumors are less common and they affect the islet cells of the pancreas. They tend to be benign and not often become malignant. However the exocrine tumors are much more common and this is what Gene is diagnosed with. Exocrine tumors are often called adenocarcinomas and that means cancer affect the gland cells such as the ducts of the glands (American Cancer Society). Pancreatic adenocarcinomas keep the glands from secreting normal The signs and symptoms of pancreatic adenocarcinoma is darkening of the urine, irritated skin, jaundice, pain in the upper abdomen and back, unexplained weight loss, stomach bloating, weakness, and nausea.

The pancreas produces hormones and digestive juices that regulate blood sugar, and pancreatic cancer symptoms include jaundice, upper abdominal bloating and pain that radiates to the back, poor appetite, and rapid weight loss. Although there are various treatments for pancreatic cancer such as surgery, chemotherapy, and radiation, only about 20% of people diagnosed with the disease are expected to live more than a

Pancreatic cancer is when cancer cells form around the the tissue in the pancreas. It is located in your stomach in front of your spine. What the pancreas does for you is it makes the liquid and the hormones that help make your blood sugar normal. For the most part the start of pancreatic cancers start in the exocrine cells. Pancreatic cancer has a poor judgement that might happen in the future. It spreads very fast and not seen in the earlier stages. That is one reason this is one of the major cancers that leads to a lot of people's

The effects of pancreatic cancer can have long lasting effects on the patient. “Pancreatic cancer usually spreads rapidly and is seldom detected in its early stages, which is a major reason why it's a leading causes of cancer death” American Cancer Society.“Tumors continuously evolve during therapy.MD Anderson Cancer, “New changes, new pathways, new mutations show up,” this makes it hard to find and get rid of.

One common symptom that usually appears first is jaundice. According to American Cancer Society, “Jaundice is yellowing of the eyes and skin. Most people with pancreatic cancer (and nearly all people with ampullary cancer) will have jaundice as one of their first symptoms” (“Signs and Symptoms of Pancreatic Cancer”). Although jaundice is a symptom of pancreatic cancer, it is a common symptom of other diseases and disorders too. “Jaundice is caused by the buildup of bilirubin, a dark yellow-brown substance made in the liver” (“Signs and Symptoms of Pancreatic Cancer”). Jaundice is caused by the cancer pressing on bile ducts, causing them to become blocked, which then leads to the buildup of bilirubin. Another common symptom is pain in the abdomen or surrounding areas. “Pain in the abdomen (belly) or back is common in pancreatic cancer. Cancers that start in the body or tail of the pancreas can grow fairly large and start to press on other nearby organs, causing pain” (“Signs and Symptoms of Pancreatic Cancer”). As the tumor grows, it can easily cause pain, pressing, and blockages of blood and different organ functions. Since the tumor can press on organs, it can cause nausea or vomiting. “If the cancer presses on the far end of the stomach it can partly block it, making it hard for food to get through. This can cause nausea, vomiting, and pain that tends to be worse after eating” (“Signs and Symptoms of Pancreatic Cancer”). A final common symptom is blood clots. “Sometimes, the first clue that someone has pancreatic cancer is a blood clot in a large vein, often in the leg” (“Signs and Symptoms of Pancreatic Cancer”). Blood clots are pretty common though, and can be caused by many other

Patient is a 71 year old Cascation female who lives with her signficant other, Kay, in her home in Bylthe. Patient stated she was born and raised in Kingman, AZ. Patient worked in retal and was a cashier for most of her life, till she was injeryed on the job, which resulted in early retiring. Patient moved to Bythle with her husband, whom she was married to for 40 years and had 3 chidlren. Patient's passed away several years from cancer. Pt's has two children that live in California and one who lives in Phoenix, who do visit her when avaiable. Patient had a heart surgury back on June 9th. Patinet stated she is still in pain, has trouble breathing at times, but does have an inhaler which she uses daily. Patient says she is still in the process

There is currently no reliable method for the early detection of pancreatic cancer as it has no clear signs and symptoms. The most predominant sign of pancreatic cancer is jaundice and this occurs most of the time at a late stage when the tumor size increase and lead to an obstruction of the bile ducts. Earlier signs and symptoms include mild abdominal pain, loss of appetite, weight loss and general fatigue.

The patient is a 59-year-old female who was recently in a nursing home after having completed some IV antibiotic therapy at St. Joe's. The family took her out on a leave from the nursing home to celebrate her birthday and she refused to return. She was brought to the ED and after spending over 24 hours in observation window until a reasonable plan could be devised for her continuing care. She was admitted inpatient. The patient is known to have a rectosigmoid carcinoma. She has been quite noncompliant with her therapy. She had exploratory lap, sigmoid resection and colostomy. She was unresectable diagnosis. She has had neoadjuvant chemotherapy, she is noncompliant with that and she has had progression of disease to her liver and lung.

Cigarette smoking is the best-established avoidable risk factor for pancreatic cancer, approximately doubling risk among long-term smokers, the risk increasing with the number of cigarettes smoked and the years of smoking. The risk declines slowly after smoking cessation, taking some 20 years to return to almost that of non-smokers.