Pancreatic cancer is cancer of the pancreas. The pancreas is an organ that produces digestive enzymes and hormones. Cancerous (malignant) pancreatic tumors (adenocarcinomas) are nearly twice as common in men as in women and are 2 to 3 times more common in heavy smokers than in nonsmokers. Pancreatic cancer often spreads to other parts of the body before it is discovered.
Pancreatic cancer is twice as common in men as in women and is 2 to 3 times more common in heavy smokers than in nonsmokers. The average age at diagnosis of pancreatic cancer is 55.
When normal cells in the pancreas grow rapidly and mutate, a distinct mass of abnormal tissue called a pancreatic tumor forms. A cancerous (malignant) pancreatic tumor is called pancreatic cancer. Almost all pancreatic tumors are adenocarcinomas, which originate in cells that line the pancreatic duct.
Pancreatic cancer can affect different parts of the pancreas. A malignant pancreatic tumor in the head of the pancreas can make drainage of bile (digestive fluid produced by the liver) into the small intestine difficult, leading to jaundice (a yellowish discoloration of skin and whites of the eyes). Itching and nausea may also develop. A malignant pancreatic tumor in the body or tail of the pancreas usually does not cause symptoms until the tumor has enlarged. By then, the pancreatic cancer has usually spread (metastasized) to other parts of the body, including nearby lymph nodes, the liver, and the lungs. Symptoms of metastasis include abdominal pain and significant weight loss. Pancreatic cancer in the body or tail of the pancreas can also cause enlargement of the spleen and changes in the veins of the esophagus and stomach. Severe bleeding can result. Other symptoms of pancreatic cancer include weakness, fatigue, indigestion, diarrhea, back pain, and clay-colored stools.
