What are the diagnostic criteria for pancreatic cancer

Due to the influence of factors such as pancreatic anatomy and biological characteristics of pancreatic cancer, pancreatic cancer is prone to invade surrounding tissues and organs and metastasize to distant places in the early stages. In addition, there are no specific symptoms and signs in the early stages of the disease, and there is a lack of simple and reliable diagnostic methods, making early diagnosis difficult. Most patients are in the middle or late stages when they seek medical treatment, and the surgical resection rate is low. In my country, the 5-year survival rate of resectable patients is less than 5%, and the prognosis is extremely poor.

1. Progressive worsening pain and distension in the middle or left upper abdomen, radiating to the waist and back. The pain worsens when lying on the back or side, and is relieved when bending forward. There may be progressive obstructive jaundice and severe weight loss.

2. Stomach and duodenal diseases (including inflammation, ulcers, tumors, etc.) are generally diagnosed by X-ray barium meal and fiber endoscopy, especially ampulla tumors, almost one-third of which are misdiagnosed as pancreatic head cancer. This disease mostly originates from the ampulla itself, and some from the duodenal mucosa or the end of the common bile duct. The final identification depends on endoscopic biopsy.

3. Liver disease Pancreatic cancer can often be misdiagnosed as icteric hepatitis, but the latter often has a history of contact and obvious elevation of transaminase. Jaundice subsides after a few weeks, and there is no obvious weight loss. In the middle and late stages of liver cancer, jaundice, pain, and abdominal mass are more obvious and progressively worsen, which is often confused with pancreatic cancer. However, liver cancer jaundice often appears after liver enlargement, alpha-fetoprotein increases significantly, abdominal pain is not related to body position, and imaging examinations help to distinguish.

4. Biliary tract diseases: Chronic cholecystitis, cholelithiasis and pancreatic head cancer have many similarities, but most of them have a history of recurrent attacks. Jaundice does not last long and fluctuates greatly. Only the gallbladder changes in the image, and the treatment effect is good.

5.4. Chronic pancreatitis is difficult to differentiate and sometimes requires biopsy or surgery.