Pancreatic Cancer

Pancreatic Cancer Symptoms

Pancreatic Cancer Risk Factors

How Is Pancreatic Cancer Diagnosed?

Pancreatic Cancer Treatment

What Is the Outlook for Pancreatic Cancer?

Pancreatic cancer is a disease in which malignant (cancerous) cells form in the tissues of the pancreas. The pancreas is a gland located behind the stomach and in front of the spine. The pancreas\nproduces digestive juices and hormones that regulate blood sugar. Cells called exocrine pancreas cells produce the digestive juices, while cells called endocrine pancreas cells produce the hormones.\nThe majority of pancreatic cancers start in the exocrine cells.

Understanding Pancreatic Cancer

Pancreatic Cancer Symptoms

Symptoms of pancreatic cancer include:

Jaundice (yellowing of the skin and whites of the eyes)
\nPain in the upper or middle abdomen and back
\nUnexplained weight loss
\nLoss of appetite
\nFatigue
\nDepression

Pancreatic Cancer Risk Factors
\nThe factors which could put you at risk for developing pancreatic cancer include:

Smoking
\nChronic pancreatitis (inflammation of the pancreas)
\nInherited conditions (including hereditary pancreatitis)
\nFamilial pancreatic cancer syndromes
\nLong-standing diabetes
\nHow Is Pancreatic Cancer Diagnosed?
\nAfter taking down your health history and performing a physical exam, the doctor may order several tests to determine the cause of your problem or extent of the condition, including:

CT scan (computed tomography)
\nMRI (magnetic resonance imaging)
\nEndoscopic ultrasound (EUS)
\nLaparoscopy (surgical procedure to look at organs)
\nEndoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP)
\nPercutaneous transhepatic cholangiography (PTC; procedure used to X-ray liver and bile ducts)
\nBiopsy (removal of tissue to view it under a microscope)
\nPancreatic Cancer Treatment
\nThere are various treatments for pancreatic cancer, including surgery, chemotherapy, and radiation therapy. Chemotherapy uses drugs to treat cancer, while radiation therapy uses X-rays or other kinds\nof radiation to kill cancer cells. Surgery can be used to remove a tumor or to treat symptoms of pancreatic cancer.

What Is the Outlook for Pancreatic Cancer?
\nThe American Cancer Society reports that only about 23% of patients with cancer of the exocrine pancreas are still living one year after diagnosis. Only about 4% are still living five years after\nbeing diagnosed.

Pancreatic cancer begins in the tissues of your pancreas - an organ in your abdomen that lies horizontally behind the lower part of your stomach. Your pancreas secretes enzymes that aid digestion\nand hormones that help regulate the metabolism of sugars.

Pancreatic cancer often has a poor prognosis, even when diagnosed early. Pancreatic cancer typically spreads rapidly and is seldom detected in its early stages, which is a major reason why it\'s a\nleading cause of cancer death. Signs and symptoms may not appear until pancreatic cancer is quite advanced and complete surgical removal isn\'t possible.