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Pancreatic Cancer: Progressing Conventions

  • Writer: Prisha Dayal
    Prisha Dayal
  • Jul 30, 2024
  • 2 min read

By: Ethan D



Pancreatic disease, cancer, and the ill reception from people

Pancreatic cancer originates and mainly takes place in the pancreas following the growth of cancer cells in the area. It is the cancer that disrupts the pancreas functions of making digestive enzymes to digest foods to manage blood sugar. This is what causes patients to lose drastic weight and lose appetite as foods cannot be absorbed by the body. This is one of the reasons for the evolution of the stigma not only surrounding pancreatic cancer, but cancer in general. 


Induced self-stigma and how it regresses patient’s recovery

Following a study that separated cancer patients into two groups, the stigma group and non-stigma group, it was shown that the group with no stigma had less fatigue, higher confidence and quality of life. The stigma group was exposed to outside opinions and the views that the general public had towards them. This included views such as 20.5% of patients facing discrimination in workspaces, and only 57.5% of them being comfortable enough to disclose they have cancer to a colleague or friend. The inverse relationship between stigma and self-recovery is highlighted as self-recovery blossoms when patients feel comfortable finding solace in others and having easy access to both physical and emotional support. 


Current treatment for those affected

The available treatment for pancreatic cancer consists of surgery, radiation therapy, and chemotherapy. Surgeries involve either pancreatectomy which involves the removal of the pancreas along with surrounding organs, or whipple procedure where enough of the pancreas is left for digestive juices and insulin. While both radiation therapy and chemotherapy aims to stop the growth of cancer cells, chemotherapy is done with the patients taking drugs, and usually having their hair fall out or thin overtime. This is also a common misconception as people tend to believe those unfortunate enough with cancer will immediately lose their hair from the cancer alone. A need for education, in all levels ranging from primary school to college-level talks is needed to combat the ongoing stigma. Misconceptions such as cancers being contagious or genetic should be cleared up to allow patients to confidently share their voices, and to let them get the highest quality medical care they can.



WORKS CITED


Clinic, C. (2024, June 27). 6 Scary cancer Myths, debunked. Cleveland Clinic. https://health.clevelandclinic.org/6-scary-cancer-myths-debunked


Effect of attitudes and feelings on cancer. (n.d.). American Cancer Society. https://www.cancer.org/cancer/survivorship/coping/attitudes-and-feelings-about-cancer.html


Kim, N., Kang, D., Shin, S. H., Heo, J. S., Shim, S., Lim, J., Cho, J., & Han, I. W. (2023). Effects of cancer stigma on quality of life of patients with hepatobiliary and pancreatic cancer. Annals of Hepato-biliary-pancreatic Surgery/Annals of Hepato-Biliary-Pancreatic Surgery, 27(2), 172–179. https://doi.org/10.14701/ahbps.22-084



 
 
 

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