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Pancreatic Cancer

Definition

Pancreatic cancer is an abnormal growth of the cells of the pancreatic duct; the tube that drains the juices made by the pancreas to aid digestion in the small intestine. The pancreas also makes hormones, such as insulin and glucagon. The hormones go directly into the bloodstream to help the body use and store the energy it gets from food. The pancreas is located behind the stomach.

Getting Diagnosed / Treatment

Most patients with pancreatic cancer are treated in the Multidisciplinary Pancreatic Cancer Clinic. Read about:

What is cancer and how does it effect the pancreas?

Normal cells grow, divide and die in a controlled fashion that is regulated in the body. Cancer is a disease where cells divide and grow in an abnormal, poorly controlled manner where the balance of growth and death is disturbed. Medical research has led to an increased understanding of these abnormalities and continues to be a focus in understanding how to treat cancer.

Cells that continue to grow and divide unchecked become a malignant mass or tumor that can affect how an organ works. The original site of the abnormal cells growth is called the cancer's primary site. In pancreatic cancer, the primary site is the pancreas. Even when the pancreatic cancer is found in areas outside the pancreas, such as the liver, the disease is still called pancreatic cancer.

Metastasis occurs when cancer cells spread and invade organs by traveling to other structures in the body by way of the lymphatic system and the blood stream.

How common is pancreatic cancer and who is at risk?

The American Cancer Society estimates that 37,170 men and women will be diagnosed with pancreatic cancer in 2007. People between the ages of 60-80 years old are affected most often, but older and younger people can be affected.

Pancreatic cancer may be related to exposure to cancer-causing agents called carcinogens.

Some things that increase the risk of this disease are:

• Cigarette smoking
• A diet high in fat and low in fiber
• Diabetes
• Chronic pancreatitis.
• Family history (more information below)

Can pancreatic cancer be prevented?

There is no reliable way to prevent pancreatic cancer, however, cancer prevention guidelines in general include:

• A diet high in fiber and low in fat
• Daily exercise
• Avoid cigarette smoking

Is pancreatic cancer hereditary?

Research is being done to better understand possible herediatary factors in pancreatic cancer. There does seem to be a hereditary component in 10-15% of patients with pancreatic cancer. The following genetic syndromes are being studied for their specific gene changes:

• Hereditary pancreatitis
• Hereditary nonpolyposis
• colorectal cancer
• familial atypical multiple mole melanoma syndrome
• Peutz-Jeghers syndrome

Patients with a family history of the following cancers may be at increased risk for pancreatic cancer:

• colon cancer
• pancreatic cancer
• melanoma

Families with medical histories of known hereditary cancer syndromes that include pancreatic cancer should consider genetic counseling and testing in a research setting.

What are the symptoms?

Symptoms vary and are related to the extent of the disease and the location of the tumor in the pancreas.

Learn about how pancreatic cancer is diagnosed on the Diagnosing Pancreatic Cancer web page.

Learn about how pancreatic cancer is treated at the U-M Cancer Center on the Treatment web page.

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University of Michigan Comprehensive Cancer Center
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Ann Arbor, MI 48109

This site is part of the U-M Health System. The information presented is not a tool for self diagnosis or a substitute for professional care. © 2008 U-M Comprehensive Cancer Center