Pancreatic cancer

A part in your belly can get sick.

This part is called the pancreas. It sits behind your stomach. Sometimes, cells grow too fast there. These cells can spread to other places.

This can make your skin look yellow. It might also cause pain in your belly. You may lose weight without trying. Most people are over age 40. Doctors use tests to find the sickness. They can use surgery to help. It is good to stay healthy.

The pancreas is a gland in your belly.

It sits right behind your stomach. Pancreatic cancer happens when cells grow too fast. These cells form a mass. They can also spread to other body parts.

Most cases are a type called adenocarcinoma.

This type starts in the ducts. Ducts are small tubes that carry digestive juices. Another type is called a neuroendocrine tumor.

These start in cells that make hormones. These tumors are often less aggressive.

It is hard to find this cancer early. Many people have no signs at first. Later, skin or eyes may turn yellow. This is called jaundice.

People may also have belly pain or lose weight. Smoking and obesity can increase the risk. Doctors use scans and blood tests to find it. They may use surgery or other treatments to help.

Pancreatic cancer is a serious disease that starts in the pancreas.

The pancreas is a glandular organ located behind your stomach. This cancer happens when cells in the organ multiply out of control. These growing cells form a mass or a lump. These cancerous cells can also invade other parts of the body. It is one of the most deadly forms of cancer globally.

There are different ways this cancer can work. The most common type is called pancreatic adenocarcinoma.

This type accounts for about 90% of all cases. It starts in the ductal part of the pancreas. These ducts are tubes that make and carry digestive enzymes. Another type is called a neuroendocrine tumor.

These arise from hormone-producing cells. These tumors are generally less aggressive than the adenocarcinoma type. They make up about 1% to 2% of cases.

Finding this cancer early can be a very hard job. Usually, no symptoms are seen in the early stages. By the time symptoms appear, the disease has often spread. Some signs include yellow skin or eyes, which is called jaundice.

People may also feel pain in their abdomen or back. Other signs include losing weight or having dark urine. Unexplained weight loss can happen because of a loss of appetite. It can also happen because the body cannot digest food well.

Doctors use many tools to find and study the disease. They use medical imaging like ultrasound or computed tomography.

They also use blood tests and tissue samples called biopsies. The disease is divided into stages from stage I to stage IV. Risk factors can include smoking and obesity. About 25% of cases are linked to tobacco smoking. Between 5% and 10% of cases are linked to inherited genes. People over age 70 make up more than half of adenocarcinoma cases.

Treatment depends on the stage of the cancer. Surgery is the only way to cure pancreatic adenocarcinoma. Doctors may also use radiotherapy or chemotherapy. Some people use palliative care to help with pain. In 2021, there were 508,532 deaths from these cancers globally. This number rose from 411,600 deaths in 2013. In the United States, it is the third most common cause of cancer death. This shows how important it is to study these cells.

Pancreatic cancer refers to any malignancy originating in the pancreas. The pancreas is a glandular organ located behind the stomach.

This disease begins when pancreatic cells multiply uncontrollably to form a mass. These cancerous cells possess the ability to invade nearby tissues. They can also spread to distant parts of the body. Because it is difficult to detect early, it is a very deadly disease.

Most pancreatic cancers are classified as exocrine cancers. These account for approximately 95% of all cases. The most dominant type is pancreatic adenocarcinoma. This specific cancer represents about 85% to 90% of all diagnoses. Adenocarcinomas typically begin in the ductal part of the pancreas. These ducts are the tubes that carry digestive enzymes and bicarbonate away from the organ. About 60% to 70% of these adenocarcinomas occur in the head of the pancreas.

Other exocrine types exist within the pancreas. Acinar cell carcinoma arises in the cell clusters that produce digestive enzymes. This type represents about 5% of exocrine cancers. Cystadenocarcinomas account for 1% of cases and often have a better prognosis. A rare form called pancreatoblastoma mostly affects children. There are also rarer types like solid pseudopapillary tumors. These rare tumors mainly affect younger women and generally have a very good prognosis.

A smaller group of cancers is called pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors, or PanNETs. These arise from the hormone-producing cells of the pancreas. They represent only about 1% to 2% of all pancreatic cancer cases. PanNETs are divided into functioning and nonfunctioning types. Functioning tumors secrete hormones like insulin, gastrin, or glucagon into the blood. This over-production can cause symptoms like low blood sugar. Nonfunctioning tumors do not secrete enough hormones to cause obvious symptoms. These are often only discovered after the cancer has already spread.

Detecting pancreatic cancer is challenging because early stages often show no symptoms. By the time specific symptoms appear, the disease is often at an advanced stage. One common sign is jaundice, which is a yellow tint in the eyes or skin. Jaundice occurs when a tumor in the pancreatic head obstructs the bile duct.

Other symptoms include abdominal or back pain and unexplained weight loss. Pain may be worse at night or relieved by bending forward. Patients may also experience dark urine or light-colored stools. At least 50% of people with adenocarcinoma have diabetes at the time of diagnosis.

Medical professionals use several methods to diagnose the disease. They combine medical imaging, such as ultrasound or computed tomography, with blood tests. Doctors also perform a biopsy to examine actual tissue samples. The disease is categorized into stages ranging from Stage I to Stage IV. While screening the general population has not been effective, certain risk factors are known. Tobacco smoking is linked to about 25% of cases. Inherited genetic conditions are linked to 5% to 10% of cases.

Treatment options depend heavily on the stage of the cancer. Surgery is the only method that can cure pancreatic adenocarcinoma. This may include a Whipple's operation to remove parts of the organ. Other treatments include radiotherapy, chemotherapy, or a combination of these. Palliative care is often used to manage pain and improve quality of life. Pancreatic cancer is a major global health issue. In 2021, it caused 508,532 deaths worldwide. This was a significant increase from 411,600 deaths in 2013.