Pancreatic cancer is the fifth leading cause of cancer-related mortality in the United States. Pancreatic cancer (also called cancer of the pancreas) is represented by the growth of a malignant tumour within the small pancreas organ. Each year about 31,000 individuals in the United States are diagnosed with this condition, with more than 60,000 in Europe.
The pancreas, an organ situated deep in the abdominal cavity, serves several critical functions. The exocrine compartment of the pancreas, comprised of acinar and ductal cells, produces a number of enzymes that are delivered directly into the small intestine and aid in the digestion of food. The endocrine compartment consists of clusters of cells within the pancreas (referred to as islets of Langerhans) which produce several different hormones, including insulin and glucagon, that are secreted into the bloodstream and are responsible for controlling glucose (sugar) levels in the body. When we talk about pancreatic cancer, we are most frequently referring to cancer that arises from the ductal (exocrine) cells of the pancreas. The medical term for this type of cancer is ductal adenocarcinoma. Much less often, cancers may arise from the endocrine compartment of the pancreas, and are referred to as pancreatic endocrine tumors, islet cell tumors, or more specifically by the type of hormone-producing cell involved (insulinoma, glucagonoma, etc.)
The most common form of this disease is known as adenocarcinoma of the pancreas.
A less common, and typically far less virulent form of pancreatic cancer, is called islet-cell tumor (and is sometimes also known by the term neuroendocrine tumor).
Early diagnosis of pancreatic cancer is difficult because the symptoms are so non-specific and varied. Common symptoms include abdominal pain, loss of appetite, significant weight loss, jaundice, digestive problems, and depression.
Common Cancer Types
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