Gastro: Pancreatic Cancer: Free MSRA Podcast

🎧MSRA PODCAST:Pancreatic Cancer – The Silent but Lethal Disease🩺 Your focused, high-yield revision session onpancreatic cancer. From red flags to real risks, this podcast covers everythingyou need to know for the MSRA – fast, clear, and clinically relevant. 🧠Key Learning Points📌Definition• Malignancy of thepancreas, most commonly pancreatic ductaladenocarcinoma• Arises most oftenin the head of the pancreas🧠95% of pancreaticcancers = adenocarcinoma 📌Causes & RiskFactors✔️Smoking✔️Chronic pancreatitis✔️Obesity✔️Family history✔️Age >65✔️Diabetes✔️Genetic mutations: BRCA2, Lynch syndrome, Peutz-Jeghers🧠Mnemonic: SAFE CODR – Smoking, Age,Family history, Endocrine (Diabetes), Chronic pancreatitis, Obesity, Diet (redmeat), Rare syndromes 📌Pathophysiology• Mutations inpancreatic duct cells → loss of regulation → uncontrolledgrowth• Early local invasion and metastasis: liver,peritoneum, lungs🧠Silent early,aggressive later 📌DifferentialDiagnosisThink of other causes of upper abdominal pain or jaundice:• Gallstones, pepticulcers, hepatitis•Cholangiocarcinoma, common bile duct stones• Other GI orhepatobiliary cancers🧠Mnemonic forpainless jaundice DDx: BCPC – Bile duct stricture, Common duct stone, Pancreatitis,Cholangiocarcinoma 📌Epidemiology• 11th most common cancer in the UK• 5th leading cause of cancer death• <20% diagnosed when curable• <5% 5-year survival rate🧠Late diagnosis +early spread = poor prognosis 📌Clinical Features⚠️Classic triad: 1. Abdominal pain (epigastric → radiates to back) 2. Painless jaundice 3. Weight loss✔️ Other signs: Dark urine, pale stools,steatorrhoea, anorexia, new-onset diabetes✔️ Rare signs: Courvoisier’s sign (palpablegallbladder), Virchow’s node, Trusseau’s sign (migratory thrombophlebitis)🧠Mnemonic: AJP + AUS – Abdo pain,Jaundice, Pancreatitis + Anorexia, Unexplained weight loss, Steatorrhoea 📌Diagnosis &Investigations✅CT pancreas protocol – first-line imaging✅EUS with biopsy – high sensitivity✅MRI/MRCP – for ducts & cysts✅Bloods: LFTs (↑ALP, ↑bilirubin), glucose, CA 19-9 (monitoring only)🧠Mnemonic: CUEM + BLT – CT, US, EUS,MRCP + Bloods, LFTs, Tumour markers 📌Staging & Grading• TNM staging – Tumour size, lymph nodes,metastasis• Grading – how abnormal the tumour cells look🧠T1–T4, N0–N1, M0–M1 📌Management✔️Surgery (Whipple’sprocedure) – only chance of cure✔️Adjuvant chemotherapy – Gemcitabine + Capecitabine✔️FOLFIRINOX – for fit metastatic cases✔️Palliative care – essential for quality of life🧠Multidisciplinaryspecialist care is key 📌Complications🚨ODI mnemonic – Obstruction: Bile duct or duodenum – DVT/PE: Hypercoagulability – Intractable pain: Nerve involvement,inflammation🧠Think ODI =Obstruction, DVT/PE, Intractable pain 📌Prognosis &Prevention• 5-year survival ~7% in the UK• Risk reduction: – Stop smoking – Healthy BMI – High fruit/vegdiet• Surveillance: High-risk patients only (e.g.,BRCA1/2, Peutz-Jeghers) 📎Pancreatic CancerMSRA Resources📝Revision Notes:https://www.passthemsra.com/topic/pancreatic-cancer-revision-notes/🧠Flashcards:https://www.passthemsra.com/topic/pancreatic-cancer-flashcards/💬Accordion Q&ANotes:https://www.passthemsra.com/topic/pancreatic-cancer-accordion-qa-notes/🚀Rapid Fire Quiz:https://www.passthemsra.com/topic/pancreatic-cancer-rapid-quiz/🎓Gastro Course Home:https://www.passthemsra.com/courses/gastroenterology-for-the-msra/ Hashtags#MSRA#PancreaticCancer #GastroMSRA #MSRAFlashcards #MSRARevision #NICEGuidelines#WhippleProcedure #FOLFIRINOX #PainlessJaundice #CA199 #MSRAQuiz#MultiSpecialtyRecruitmentAssessment