Cancer of the pancreas is diagnosed in more than 37,000 people in the United States each year. Most cases occur in people over the age of 55. However, pancreatic cancer can occur in younger people, particularly those with a family history of the disease. Unfortunately, there are often no symptoms early on, making pancreatic cancer difficult to diagnose in its beginning stages.
The Pancreas
The pancreas is a gland that serves two basic functions: It produces secretions that help digest food and it produces hormones (one of which is insulin) that regulate how food is stored and used. The pancreas is located in the abdomen and is surrounded by the stomach and intestines. It is about six inches long, wide at the head, and narrow at the tail. Most pancreatic cancers begin in the head of the pancreas, in the ducts that carry the digestive juices.
Types of Pancreatic Cancer
The bulk of pancreatic cells are devoted to producing digestive enzymes, and it is in those cells (the exocrine cells) that 95 percent of pancreatic cancers start. About 5 percent of pancreatic cancers start in the cells that produce hormones (the endocrine cells, or islet cells). This overview focuses on cancers of the exocrine pancreas.
As many as 20 distinct types of tumors are classified under the term "pancreatic cancer," each with varying responses to treatment. Most pancreatic tumors are adenocarcinomas (malignant tumors whose cells are arranged in a gland-like pattern). As a tumor grows in the pancreas, it may begin to invade nearby organs such as the stomach and intestines. Tumor cells can break away and spread to the lymph nodes, the liver, and sometimes the nerves and blood vessels. Most pancreatic cancers have spread beyond the pancreas at diagnosis.
In most cases, pancreatic cancer is diagnosed when it is advanced and very difficult to treat. However, coordinated care by a multidisciplinary team of clinician-researchers with experience in treating pancreatic cancer and its related symptoms can help ensure quality of life for longer periods than has been possible in the past.
