Pancreatic Cancer


What is Pancreatic Cancer?

If you are wondering what is pancreatic cancer, the answer is simple. Pancreatic cancer is an adenocarcinoma that affects the pancreas and the hormones that it produces. There are very few identifiable risk factors associated with pancreatic cancer and though it may be treated in the early stages, it is usually incredibly lethal. Unfortunately, pancreatic cancer is extremely difficult to diagnose because of the lack of symptoms that it causes. The only known treatment for pancreatic cancer is to remove all the cancerous tissues. Fortunately, chemotherapy after you get surgery can lower the chances of getting the cancer once again. If there have been metastases of pancreatic cancer, chemotherapy can help extend your life and improve its quality as well.

Since the pancreas is a vital organ in your body and is responsible for the synthesis of various hormones, the cancer can cause a lot of problems in the body. The lack of insulin that pancreas usually produces, can also cease and you may develop high blood sugar as well. There are several other complications associated with pancreatic cancer.

Pancreatic cancers are of two types: Endocrine and Exocrine pancreas cancer.
 
Alternative Names:

  • Cancer of the pancreas
  • Pancreas cancer
  • Pancreatic adenocarcinoma

Frequently asked questions
References
  1. Albert B. Lowenfels, Patrick Maisonneuve, Epidemiology and risk factors for pancreatic cancer, Best Practice & Research Clinical Gastroenterology, Volume 20, Issue 2, April 2006, Pages 197-209, ISSN 1521-6918, 10.1016/j.bpg.2005.10.001.
  2. Andrea Mancuso, Fabio Calabrò, Cora N. Sternberg, Current therapies and advances in the treatment of pancreatic cancer, Critical Reviews in Oncology/Hematology, Volume 58, Issue 3, June 2006, Pages 231-241, ISSN 1040-8428, 10.1016/j.critrevonc.2006.02.004.