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On a weekend afternoon, secondary school history teacher Li Dahua was enjoying a rare leisure time walking in the community garden with his friend Dr. Zhang.
Dr. Zhang, a senior physician specializing in oncology, always has endless medical knowledge to share. Today's topic is a bit heavy – pancreatic cancer.
Dr. Zhang began his "speech" in a relaxed tone, as if telling a fairy tale far from reality. "You know, Dahua, many people mistakenly think that pancreatic cancer is a rare disease, but it is not. Although its incidence is not as common as that of colds, the number of new cases each year is not at all significant. ”
Li Dahua listened with relish, interjecting from time to time, "Really?" or "Why didn't I notice this before?" which made Dr. Zhang even more excited, as if he had found the perfect audience.
"And you have to know that once pancreatic cancer is diagnosed, it is often at an advanced stage. This has a lot to do with the fact that its symptoms are particularly insidious. At first, it may just be upper abdominal discomfort or lower back pain, but who would have thought that it was related to pancreatic cancer?" said Dr. Zhang, gesturing his hand to the position of his abdomen, vividly describing the symptoms.
"So what are the early symptoms that can alert us?" asked Li Dahua curiously.
Dr. Zhang paused and then began to answer: "This is where you suddenly find that you have lost a lot of weight for no reason, or if you are newly diagnosed with diabetes, it may be a 'small sign' of pancreatic cancer." Of course, jaundice due to bile duct obstruction is also a very typical presentation. ”
As they continued to walk slowly, Dr. Zhang also gave a presentation on some of the latest advances in the treatment of pancreatic cancer.
"In fact, there have been great advances in treatments, such as targeted therapy and immunotherapy, which can significantly prolong survival for some patients. ”
Li Dahua couldn't help but quip: "It seems that this pancreatic cancer is not completely hopeless!"
Dr. Zhang smiled and continued, "Indeed, every medical breakthrough brings new hope to patients. But the key is early detection and early treatment. Most patients have a poor prognosis because they are found at an advanced stage. ”
Dr. Zhang then turned to a topic that seemed to have nothing to do with pancreatic cancer – lifestyle changes. "Did you know that maintaining a healthy lifestyle is also very important to prevent pancreatic cancer? For example, moderate exercise and a balanced diet can greatly reduce the risk of disease. ”
Li Dahua was a little surprised: "Oh? I really haven't heard of this, it turns out that exercise and eating can be so magical!"
"Of course, although this may not sound like much to do with pancreatic cancer, a healthy internal environment can effectively inhibit the occurrence of cancer. Obesity and a diet high in sugar and fat are important risk factors for pancreatic cancer. ”
The conversation deepened, and the sky gradually darkened. On the way home, Li Dahua suddenly thought of a question: "Dr. Zhang, can you explain to me the targeted therapy and immunotherapy you just talked about, and what are the principles of these therapies?"
Dr. Zhang explained in detail how these modern treatments worked, as well as a case he once worked with who was significantly controlled and improved with targeted therapy.
His explanations were both professional and full of life-like metaphors, which made Li Dahua listen to them with relish and have a more intuitive understanding of this advanced medical treatment.
This day's walk not only gave Li Dahua an in-depth understanding of pancreatic cancer, but also made him realize that what seems to be an ordinary lifestyle has such a significant impact on health.
He was in awe of medicine and had the urge to rethink his way of life.
What do you think about pancreatic cancer?