Yaz, Yasmin and Pancreatic Cancer

What is Pancreatic Cancer?

Pancreatic cancer begins in the tissues of your pancreas.  Your pancreas is a large organ that sits behind your stomach.  It secretes enzymes that aid in digestion and hormones that help regulate the metabolism of sugars.  Because pancreatic cancer is difficult to detect in its early stages and tends to spread rapidly, pancreatic cancer often has a poor prognosis.

What the signs and symptoms of Pancreatic Cancer?

Signs and symptoms of pancreatic cancer include:

• Upper abdominal pain that may radiate to the back
• Yellowing of your skin and the whites of your eyes
• Loss of appetite
• Weight loss
• Depression

Types of Pancreatic Cancer

There are two types of pancreatic cancer: adenocarcinoma and endocrine cancer.  Adenocarcinoma is cancer that forms in the pancreas ducts.  Endocrine cancer is cancer that corms in the hormone-producing cells of the pancreas.  Endocrine cancer is very rare.

Tests and Diagnosis of Pancreatic Cancer

Doctors use the following tests to diagnose the cancer:

• Ultrasound
• CT Scan
• MRI
• Endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP)
• Endoscopic ultrasound
• Percutaneous transhepatic cholangiography (PTC)
• Biopsy

Stages of Pancreatic Cancer

• Stage I - Cancer is confined to the pancreas.
• Stage II - Cancer has spread beyond the pancreas to nearby tissues and organs.
• Stage III - Cancer has spread beyond pancreas to major blood vessels around the pancreas.
• Stage IV - Cancer has spread to distant sites beyond the pancreas, e.g. liver and lungs.

Treatment for Pancreatic Cancer

Treatment for pancreatic cancer may include surgery, radiation, chemotherapy, targeted drug therapy and/or clinical trials for new forms of treatment.

Yaz, Yasmin and Ocella Pancreatic Cancer Lawsuits

Jackson Allen Williams, LLP is investigating claims on behalf of women who have taken Yaz, Yasmin or Ocella birth control pills and been diagnosed with pancreatic cancer.  If you or a loved one has been diagnosed with pancreatic cancer after taking Yaz, Yasmin or Ocella,  contact our office today to speak with an experience defective drug lawyer.