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Supportive Care Challenges and Management in Pancreatic Cancer

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Pancreatic Cancer

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Abstract

Pancreatic cancer presents with complicated symptoms that require management alongside cancer treatments to improve patient’s quality of life during treatment. Pain in pancreatic cancer is frequently present as the first sign of disease; its etiology is multifactorial, consisting of pancreatic enzyme insufficiency, neuropathic pain, inflammation, obstruction, and direct mass effect from the tumor. Proper pain management is crucial in the overall management of these patients. Non-steroidal anti-inflammatories and acetaminophen are typically used as first-line therapy, followed by opioids and other treatments reviewed here, including disease-specific treatment with chemotherapy and radiation to manage pain by reducing obstruction and decreasing inflammation. Nerve blocks, high-intensity focused ultrasound, and other integrative measures with supplements and acupuncture have also been studied to treat pain in pancreatic cancer. The implementation of these measures may improve the quality of life of these patients.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Palliative Care, MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, USA

    Jacqueline Tschanz, Ernai Hernadez Sanchez & Shalini Dalal

Authors
  1. Jacqueline Tschanz
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  2. Ernai Hernadez Sanchez
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  3. Shalini Dalal
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Correspondence to Shalini Dalal .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. GI Medical Oncology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Canc, Houston, TX, USA

    Shubham Pant

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Tschanz, J., Sanchez, E.H., Dalal, S. (2023). Supportive Care Challenges and Management in Pancreatic Cancer. In: Pant, S. (eds) Pancreatic Cancer. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-38623-7_8

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-38623-7_8

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