Pancreas is an essential organ of human body that is closely integrated with other organs,namely; gall bladder, small intestine and some part of stomach. Therefore, this process requires removal of some part of these related organs, along with the head of pancreas. This is true even when no significant cancerous growth is seen in these organs.
Pancreatic cancers are very difficult to detect, as they give no specific or pronounced symptoms that can be easily detected. So, when patients are diagnosed with this ailment, they are mostly at an advanced stage of this fatal health condition. Only 5% of sufferers manage to survive for few years after diagnosis. However, a successful Whipple surgery can extend this survival rate and serve as potential cure for this disease.
However, unfortunately, this treatment can be carried out in only those conditions, where cancer growth is restricted to the head of the pancreas and has not spread to nearby blood vessels. That is why the pancreatic cancer survival ratios are quite less ranging from 15 - 20 percent of total patients who get cured through this surgical treatment. Sometimes very skilled surgeons may perform this surgery in cases where cancerous growth has extended to the body or tail of pancreas.
Another very popular method of carrying out this treatment is via Laproscopic Surgery, also known as Minimal invasive surgery. This process requires very small incisions that prevent blood loss and reduce post operation pain. This advanced technique of surgery is being adopted by surgeons in all types of operations and is very common for Pancreatic cancer operations.
