Pancreatic Cancer

Summary

The pancreas is a gland behind your stomach and in front of your spine. It produces the juices that help break down food and the hormones that help control blood sugar levels. Pancreatic cancer usually begins in the cells that produce the juices. Some risk factors for developing pancreatic cancer include:

• Smoking
• Long-term diabetes
• Chronic pancreatitis
• Certain hereditary disorders

Pancreatic cancer is hard to catch early. It doesn’t cause symptoms right away. When you do get symptoms, they are often vague or you may not notice them. They include yellowing of the skin and eyes, pain in the abdomen and back, weight loss and fatigue. Also, because the pancreas is hidden behind other organs, health care providers cannot see or feel the tumors during routine exams. Doctors use a physical exam, blood tests, imaging tests, and a biopsy to diagnose it.

Because it is often found late and it spreads quickly, pancreatic cancer can be hard to treat. Possible treatments include surgery, radiation, chemotherapy, and targeted therapy. Targeted therapy uses drugs or other substances that attack specific cancer cells with less harm to normal cells.

NIH: National Cancer Institute

National Cancer Institute

Living With

• 7 Physical Challenges Supportive Care Can Help Pancreatic Cancer Action Network
• Living as a Pancreatic Cancer Survivor American Cancer Society
• Nutrition Following Pancreatic Surgery Pancreatic Cancer Action Network
• Pain Management Johns Hopkins University, Department of Pathology
• Pancreatic Enzymes Pancreatic Cancer Action Network
• Quality of Life Johns Hopkins University, Department of Pathology

Encyclopedia

• Abdominal CT scan Medical Encyclopedia
• Abdominal exploration Medical Encyclopedia
• Abdominal MRI scan Medical Encyclopedia
• Biopsy – biliary tract Medical Encyclopedia
• Fecal fat Medical Encyclopedia
• Gastrin blood test Medical Encyclopedia
• Glucagonoma Medical Encyclopedia
• Insulinoma Medical Encyclopedia
• Lipase test Medical Encyclopedia
• Pancreatic islet cell tumor Medical Encyclopedia
• Secretin stimulation test Medical Encyclopedia
• Surgery for pancreatic cancer Medical Encyclopedia
• Surgery for pancreatic cancer — discharge Medical Encyclopedia
• Trypsinogen test Medical Encyclopedia
• Vasoactive intestinal peptide test Medical Encyclopedia
• VIPoma Medical Encyclopedia

Diagnosis and Tests

• Abdominal exploration – series — Normal anatomy Medical Encyclopedia
• Amylase Test National Library of Medicine
• CA 19-9 Blood Test (Pancreatic Cancer) National Library of Medicine
• Can Pancreatic Cancer Be Found Early? American Cancer Society
• ERCP (Endoscopic Retrograde Cholangiopancreatography) National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases
• Glucagon Blood Test National Library of Medicine
• Stage and Grade of Pancreatic Cancer Johns Hopkins University, Department of Pathology
• Stages of Pancreatic Cancer National Cancer Institute
• Stages of Pancreatic Neuroendocrine Tumors National Cancer Institute
• Tests for Pancreatic Cancer American Cancer Society
• Tumor Marker Tests National Library of Medicine

Genetics

• About Familial Pancreatic Cancer: Pancreatic Cancer Can Be Hereditary Johns Hopkins University, Department of Pathology

Treatments and Therapies

• Acupuncture for Pancreatic Cancer Patients Pancreatic Cancer Action Network
• Drugs Approved for Pancreatic Cancer National Cancer Institute
• Surgery for Pancreatic Cancer American Cancer Society
• Surgical Treatment Johns Hopkins University, Department of Pathology
• Treatment Option Overview (Pancreatic Cancer) National Cancer Institute
• Treatment Option Overview for Pancreatic Neuroendocrine Tumors (Islet Cell Tumors) National Cancer Institute

Statistics and Research

• Advances in Pancreatic Cancer Research National Cancer Institute
• Cancer Statistics: Pancreatic Cancer National Cancer Institute
• Key Statistics about Pancreatic Cancer American Cancer Society
• What’s New in Pancreatic Cancer Research and Treatment? American Cancer Society

Patient Handouts

• After chemotherapy – discharge Medical Encyclopedia
• Amylase – urine Medical Encyclopedia
• Pancreatic cancer Medical Encyclopedia
• Zollinger-Ellison syndrome Medical Encyclopedia

Find an Expert

• American Cancer Society American Cancer Society
• ASGE: Find a Doctor American Society for Gastrointestinal Endoscopy
• Find a Cancer Doctor American Society of Clinical Oncology
• National Cancer Institute National Cancer Institute
• NCI Designated Cancer Centers National Cancer Institute
• Organizations that Offer Cancer Support Services National Cancer Institute

Children

• Childhood Pancreatic Cancer Treatment National Cancer Institute

Clinical Trials

• ClinicalTrials.gov: Carcinoma, Islet Cell National Institutes of Health
• ClinicalTrials.gov: Pancreatic Neoplasms National Institutes of Health

Reference Desk

• Dictionary of Cancer Terms National Cancer Institute
• Normal Pancreas Anatomy National Cancer Institute
• What Is the Pancreas? Johns Hopkins University, Department of Pathology

Start Here

• General Information about Pancreatic Cancer National Cancer Institute
• Rare Tumor of Pancreas Genetic and Rare Diseases Information Center
• What Is Pancreatic Cancer? American Cancer Society

Specifics

• General Information about Pancreatic Neuroendocrine Tumors (Islet Cell Tumors) National Cancer Institute
• Zollinger-Ellison Syndrome National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases

Prevention and Risk Factors

• Pancreatic Cancer Risk Factors American Cancer Society

Images

• Pancreatic Cancer Stage 2A National Cancer Institute
• Pancreatic Cancer Stage 2B National Cancer Institute
• Pancreatic Cancer Stage 3 National Cancer Institute
• Pancreatic Cancer Stage 4 National Cancer Institute

Journal Articles

• Pancreatic Cancer

Related Issues

• Questions to Ask About Pancreatic Cancer American Cancer Society
• What Questions Should I Ask My Doctor? Johns Hopkins University, Department of Pathology