Information on Pancreatic Cancer

Pancreatic cancer is a relatively rare disorder,occurring most often in people over the age of 45.
accounting for about 3 in 100 cases of all cancer inThe Facts on Pancreatic Cancer
the US. However, the disease, which mainly affectsAbout one in 79 people will develop pancreatic cancer
people over 50, is becoming more common in the US(cancer of the pancreas) over their lifetime. In North
as life expectancy increases. Pancreatic cancer occursAmerica in 2007, pancreatic cancer was responsible
almost twice as frequently in men as in women andfor the fourth highest number of deaths among
the disease is slightly more common incancer deaths. The risk of developing pancreatic
African-Americans and Polynesians.cancer is about the same for both men and women.
The pancreas is a spongy, tube-shaped organ aboutPancreatic cancer is sometimes called a silent disease
6 inches long. It is located in the back of thebecause it is difficult to detect and symptoms do not
abdomen, behind the stomach. The head of theusually appear until the cancer has grown for quite
pancreas is on the right side of the abdomen. It issome time.
connected to the duodenum, the upper end of theThis cancer is difficult to diagnose because there are
small intestine. The narrow end of the pancreas,no symptoms in the early stages and because ,
called the tail, extends to the left side of the body.when symptoms appear, they match other diseases.
The pancreas is a gland about five inches longDepending on the stage and location of the cancer,
located behind the stomach. It is surrounded by thesurgery, chemotherapy and/or radiation therapy may
liver, gallbladder, and small intestine. The pancreas hasbe used. If the cancer has not spread beyond the
two main functions. One is to produce digestive fluidspancreas, therapy can be successful, but, as stated
needed to neutralize stomach acids and break downearlier, it's very unlikely to find pancreatic cancer in
food. The second is to produce hormones, such asthe early stages. In later stages, often the therapy
insulin, that are needed to metabolize sugar.concentrates on the comfort of the patient.
Pancreatic cancer occurs when abnormal (cancerous)Complete resection is the only effective treatment
cells grow in the tissues of the pancreas.of pancreatic ductal carcinoma. Regrettably, such
Pancreatic cancer is the seventh leading cause ofcurative operations are possible in less than 15
cancer in the U.S., and the fourth leading cause ofpercent of patients and are limited, for all practical
cancer deaths. The American Cancer Societypurposes, to those individuals with tumors in the
estimated that 33,730 new cases of pancreaticpancreatic head that have caused jaundice leading to
cancer would have been reported in the U.S. in 2006.an earlier diagnosis. Tumor spread to other sites in
Although the rates of pancreatic cancer havethe abdomen such as the lining of the abdominal
declined in men over the past 20 years, the rates incavity ("peritoneum"), liver, or to the lungs is a
women have remained constant. Nonetheless,contraindication to major surgery.
pancreatic cancer most commonly affects males,