What is Pancreatic Cancer?

Pancreatic cancer is a disease in which malignant (cancer) cells form in the tissues of the pancreas. The pancreas is a large gland that lies behind the stomach and intestines. It has two main functions:

To make hormones that help digest food

To release digestive juices into the small intestine

Pancreatic cancer begins when cells in the pancreas start to grow out of control. These cells do not die when they should and keep growing, forming lumps of tissue called tumors. Over time, these tumors can spread from the pancreas to nearby lymph nodes or distant organs including the liver, lung, stomach and brain.

Pancreatic cancer can cause jaundice (yellowing of skin), pain in your upper abdomen, weight loss and other symptoms depending on where it has spread.

What are the causes of Pancreatic Cancer?

Most pancreatic cancers are thought to start with a single cell that begins to grow uncontrollably and form a tumor. These tumors have cells with abnormal changes in their DNA (genes) that make them grow and divide more quickly than normal cells. The tumors can invade nearby tissue, spread (metastasize) through the lymph nodes or blood vessels, or both.

The exact cause of pancreatic cancer isn’t known, but doctors think several factors may increase your risk of developing it:

Age — Pancreatic cancer is most common in people over age 50, but younger people can get it too. Men develop pancreatic cancer more often than women do.

Genetics — You’re more likely to develop pancreatic cancer if you have certain gene mutations that make you predisposed for this disease, such as BRCA1/BRCA2 gene mutations (BrCa1/2). BRCA1/2 are two genes that help repair damaged DNA in cells after ultraviolet radiation exposure.

Possible causes for pancreatic cancer include:

Family history: If your father or brother has had pancreatic cancer, you may be at increased risk for developing it yourself. This increased risk is due to shared genes rather than environmental factors shared by family members.

Diet and nutrition: A high-calorie diet and obesity have been linked to an increased risk of pancreatic cancer in some studies but not all. Smoking also increases your risk for developing this type of cancer by 20 times over non-smokers or former smokers.

Pancreatic Cancer Stages

There are four stages of pancreatic cancer:

Stage I: The tumor is between 1 centimeter and 2 centimeters across, and it has not spread to lymph nodes or other organs.

Stage II: The tumor is between 2 centimeters and 5 centimeters across, or the tumor has grown through the wall of the pancreas but has not yet reached nearby blood vessels or organs. There may be some cancer cells in nearby lymph nodes.

Stage III: The tumor is larger than 5 centimeters across, or it has grown through the wall of the pancreas into nearby blood vessels or organs (such as your spleen). There may be some cancer cells in nearby lymph nodes. This stage also includes cancers that have spread beyond your pancreas to other areas of your body (regional metastasis).

Stage IV: At stage 4, the primary tumor is metastatic. The cancer has entered the lymphatic system or bloodstream and reached distant areas of the body.

Getting medical help for any stage of pancreatic cancer

Pancreatic cancer is a serious disease, and it’s important to get medical help as soon as possible if you have symptoms.

Depending on the stage of your cancer, there are many different treatments for pancreatic cancer. You might need surgery, chemotherapy, or radiation therapy. Radiation therapy uses high-energy rays to kill cancer cells and shrink tumors. Chemotherapy uses drugs to kill cancer cells.

If you’re diagnosed with early-stage pancreatic cancer, your doctor might recommend surgery to remove the tumor before it spreads further. Surgery isn’t always possible, though, because some pancreatic cancers are found in places that are hard to reach or remove surgically. If this is the case with your cancer, you may be able to get chemotherapy and/or radiation therapy instead of or in addition to surgery.

Pancreatic Cancer Risk Factors

Your age: Pancreatic cancer is most common in people over the age of 50.

Smoking: Cigarette smoking is one of the main risk factors for pancreatic cancer. Other tobacco products also increase your risk of developing this disease, including pipe and cigar smoking and chewing tobacco (snuff).

Obesity: Being overweight or obese can increase your risk of developing pancreatic cancer by as much as 50 percent compared with those who have a healthy weight. The more overweight you are, the greater your risk — up to twice as high in people who are extremely obese (BMI 40 or higher) compared with those who have a healthy body mass index (BMI 18.5-24.9). As little as 5 pounds above normal weight increases your chances somewhat.

Types of Pancreatic Cancer

The following types of pancreatic cancers are most common:

Adenocarcinomas are the most common type of pancreatic cancer, accounting for 90 percent of cases. These cancers develop from glandular cells called exocrine cells, which produce digestive juices that help digest food. Adenocarcinomas tend to occur in both sexes and at all ages, though they are more common in males over age 60. They are also more likely to occur in people who have had prior surgery on their pancreas (such as removal of part of their pancreas after trauma). The best treatment option for these cancers depends on their location within the pancreas; some can be removed surgically while others cannot be removed at all due to their location within major blood vessels or other organs.