Pancreatic cancer is a disease in which malignant (cancer) cells form in the tissues of the pancreas. The pancreas is a gland about 6 inches long that is shaped like a thin pear lying on its side. The wider end of the pancreas is called the head, the middle section is called the body, and the narrow end is called the tail. The pancreas lies behind the stomach and in front of the spine. The pancreas has two main jobs in the body: To produce juices that help digest (break down) food. To produce hormones, such as insulin and glucagons, that helps control blood sugar levels. Both of these hormones help the body use and store the energy it gets from food. Early diagnosis of pancreatic cancer continues to be difficult because the symptoms are so non-specific and varied. Common symptoms include abdominal pain, loss of appetite, significant weight loss, jaundice, digestive problems, and depression. .

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Different types of treatment are available for patients with pancreatic cancer. Standard treatments include one or more of the following: surgery, radiation therapy, chemotherapy, and pain management. Before starting treatment, patients may want to think about taking part in a clinical trial. Biological therapy and enzymatic therapy are two treatments currently under clinical trials.

Since the pancreas is critical to digestive and immune functions of the body, maintaining healthy digestive and immune systems dramatically improves the body's ability to fight the cancer. This approach not only enhances the body's ability to endure cancer treatments, it dramatically improves quality of life during the treatment process.

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Pancreatic Cancer Articles

Pancreatic Cancer Symptoms

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Signs and symptoms
... Signs and symptoms of pancreatic cancer often don''t occur until the disease is advanced. When symptoms do appear, they may include: Upper abdominal pain that may radiate to your middle or upper back....
Source: MayoClinic

Causes
... Your pancreas is about 6 inches long and looks something like a pear lying on its side. The wider end (head) is located near the center of your abdomen next to the upper part of your small intestine (...
Source: MayoClinic

Pancreatic Cancer Prevention

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Prevention
... Although it''s not always possible to prevent pancreatic cancer, these lifestyle changes may help reduce your risk: Quit smoking. The single most important thing you can do to prevent pancreatic cance...
Source: MayoClinic

Pancreatic Cancer Treatment

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Complications
... Your pancreas produces a number of enzymes that break down food so your body can absorb the nutrients it contains. But pancreatic tumors often interfere with the production or flow of these enzymes. A...
Source: MayoClinic

Treatment
... Treatment for pancreatic cancer depends on the stage and location of the cancer as well as on your age, overall health and personal preferences. Especially when cancer is advanced, choosing a treatmen...
Source: MayoClinic

Pancreatic Cancer Support

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Coping skills
... Learning you have any life-threatening illness can be devastating. But coping with a diagnosis of pancreatic cancer can be especially difficult. The more advanced the disease when it''s discovered, th...
Source: MayoClinic

Pancreatic Cancer Other

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Cancer of The Pancreas
... What is the pancreas?The pancreas is a thin, long gland behind your stomach next to the duodenum, (the first part of the small intestine) lying across the spine. What does the pancreas do?The pancreas...
Source: Cleveland Clinic

Pancreatic Cancer
... The pancreas is a long, spongy organ located in the abdomen behind the stomach and next to the duodenum (the first part of the small intestine). The pancreas has two basic functions in the body: it pr...
Source: Cleveland Clinic

   

Pancreatic Cancer Articles

  • Genes and Disease: Pancreatic cancer
    ... The pancreas is responsible for producing the hormone insulin, along with other substances. It also plays a key role in the digestion of protein. There were an estimated 27,000 new cases of pancreatic...
  • Interpreting Laboratory Test Results
    ... A laboratory test is a medical procedure in which a sample of blood, urine, or other tissues or substances in the body is checked for certain features. Such tests are often used as part of a routine c...
  • Islet Cell Carcinoma (Pancreatic) Treatment
    ... Treatment may be one of the following: Surgery to remove the cancer. Surgery to remove the stomach (gastrectomy). Surgery to cut the nerve that stimulates the pancreas. Chemotherapy. Hormone therapy. ...
  • Metastatic Cancer: Questions and Answers
    ... Key Points Cancer occurs when cells become abnormal and grow without control (see Question 1). The place where the cancer started is called the primary cancer or the primary tumor (see Question 2). Me...
  • Pancreatic Cancer Treatment
    ... Recurrent pancreatic cancer is cancer that has recurred (come back) after it has been treated. The cancer may come back in the pancreas or in other parts of the body. Treatment of recurrent pancreatic...
  • Pancreatic Cancer Treatment
    ... Recurrent pancreatic cancer is cancer that has recurred (come back) after it has been treated. The cancer may come back in the pancreas or in other parts of the body. Treatment of recurrent pancreatic...
  • Preguntas y respuestas acerca del cáncer metastásico
    ... ¿Qué es el cáncer? El cáncer es un grupo de diferentes enfermedades que empiezan en las células, la unidad básica del cuerpo para vivir. Normalmente, las células crecen, se dividen y reproducen a medi...
  • The NCI Cancer Centers Program
    ... The National Cancer Institute (NCI) Cancer Centers Program comprises more than 50 NCI-designated cancer centers engaged in multidisciplinary research to reduce cancer incidence, morbidity, and mortali...
  • Tumor markers
    ... Tumor markers are substances that can often be detected in higher-than-normal amounts in the blood, urine, or body tissues of some patients with certain types of cancer. Tumor markers are produced eit...