Introduction to Pancreatic Cancer

What is the pancreas?

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Learning About Pancreatic Cancer

Each year thousands of people learn they have pancreatic cancer. In 2006, the American Cancer Society estimates that nearly 34,000 individuals were diagnosed with cancer of the pancreas.

The pancreas is a gland in your abdomen that is located behind your stomach. It is about six inches long and has two main functions:

• Exocrine: Produces special substances, called enzymes that help to digest your food.
• Endocrine: Produces hormones, such as insulin, that helps to balance the amount of sugar in your blood.

How pancreatic cancer develops

Cancer of the pancreas can develop when cells that make up the pancreas grow out of control. These cells can form cancerous tumors, which can affect how the pancreas normally works. Both the exocrine and endocrine cells of the pancreas can form tumors. However, cancers formed by the exocrine cells are much more common.

Symptoms of pancreatic cancer

Symptoms of pancreatic cancer can be vague and may vary in each person. However, common symptoms of panreatic cancer include:

• Upper abdominal or back pain
• Unexplained weight loss
• Loss of appetite
• Constipation
• Yellowing of the skin (jaundice)