Pancreatic Cancer

Pancreatic cancer begins in the tissues of your pancreas. The pancreas is an organ in your abdomen that lies behind the lower part of your stomach. It secretes enzymes that aid digestion and hormones that help regulate the metabolism of sugars.

Pancreatic cancer often has a poor prognosis, even when diagnosed early. Pancreatic cancer typically spreads rapidly and is seldom detected in its early stages. Signs and symptoms may not appear until pancreatic cancer is quite advanced and complete surgical removal is not possible. For these reasons, it is a leading cause of cancer death.

Pancreatic cancer accounts for approximately 3% of cancers and 7% of cancer deaths in the US. The average lifetime risk for developing pancreatic cancer is 1 in 67 (1.5%). You are more likely to develop pancreatic cancer if you smoke, have diabetes, or have inflammatory conditions of the pancreas.

Pancreatic cancer is difficult to treat. Possible treatments include surgery, radiation, chemotherapy, and targeted therapy.

The cause of pancreatic cancer is not entirely clear. Cancer occurs when some cells in the pancreas begin growing abnormally. These cells divide more rapidly than healthy cells do and continue to accumulate, forming a lump or mass.

Hormonal, lifestyle, and environmental factors may increase the risk of getting pancreatic cancer, but it is not clear why some people who have no risk factors develop cancer and others with risk factors never do. Pancreatic cancer is likely caused by a complex interaction of genetic makeup and environment.

Factors that are associated with an increased risk of pancreatic cancer include:

• smoking. Tobacco use nearly doubles the risk of developing pancreatic cancer.
• overweight and obesity. Being overweight increases the risk of developing pancreatic cancer.
• exposure to chemicals. Heavy exposure to certain chemicals, dyes, and pesticides increase the risk of developing pancreatic cancer.
• age. The risk of developing pancreatic cancer increases with age. Most patients who are diagnosed with pancreatic cancer are at least 45 years old and the average age at diagnosis is 71 years.
• gender. Men are more likely to develop pancreatic cancer than women.
• race. African-Americans are more likely to develop pancreatic cancer than Caucasians.
• family history. Pancreatic cancer tends to run in families.
• inherited gene mutations. As many as 10% of pancreatic cancers are caused by inherited gene mutations.
• diabetes. People with a long history of type 2 diabetes have an increased risk of developing pancreatic cancer.
• pancreatitis. Chronic inflammatory conditions of the pancreas are linked to an increased risk of pancreatic cancer.
• liver cirrhosis. Cirrhosis of the liver increases the risk of pancreatic cancer.

See your doctor for unexplained weight loss, upper-abdominal or back pain, loss of appetite, or yellowing of the skin or eyes (jaundice). Have new, persistent symptoms evaluated promptly.