Pancreatic Cancer

On this page

Basics

• Summary
• Start Here
• Diagnosis and Tests
• Prevention and Risk Factors
• Treatments and Therapies

Learn More

• Living With
• Related Issues
• Specifics
• Genetics

See, Play and Learn

• Images

Research

• Statistics and Research
• Clinical Trials
• Journal Articles

Resources

• Reference Desk
• Find an Expert

For You

• Patient Handouts

Summary

The pancreas is a gland behind your stomach and in front of your spine. It produces the juices that help break down food and the hormones that help control blood sugar levels. Pancreatic cancer usually begins in the cells that produce the juices. Some risk factors for developing pancreatic cancer include

• Smoking
• Long-term diabetes
• Chronic pancreatitis
• Certain hereditary disorders

Pancreatic cancer is hard to catch early. It doesn't cause symptoms right away. When you do get symptoms, they are often vague or you may not notice them. They include yellowing of the skin and eyes, pain in the abdomen and back, weight loss and fatigue. Also, because the pancreas is hidden behind other organs, health care providers cannot see or feel the tumors during routine exams. Doctors use a physical exam, blood tests, imaging tests, and a biopsy to diagnose it.

Because it is often found late and it spreads quickly, pancreatic cancer can be hard to treat. Possible treatments include surgery, radiation, chemotherapy, and targeted therapy. Targeted therapy uses substances that attack cancer cells without harming normal cells.

NIH: National Cancer Institute

Start Here

• General Information about Pancreatic Cancer (National Cancer Institute) Also in Spanish
• Pancreatic Cancer (Beyond the Basics) (UpToDate)
• What Is Pancreatic Cancer? (American Cancer Society) Also in Spanish

Diagnosis and Tests

• Abdominal exploration - slideshow (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish
• Amylase Test (National Library of Medicine) Also in Spanish
• CA 19-9 (Cancer Antigen 19-9) (American Association for Clinical Chemistry)
• Can Pancreatic Cancer Be Found Early? (American Cancer Society) Also in Spanish
• ERCP (Endoscopic Retrograde Cholangiopancreatography) (National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases) Also in Spanish
• Metastasis (Johns Hopkins University, Department of Pathology)
• Stages of Pancreatic Cancer (National Cancer Institute) Also in Spanish
• Stages of Pancreatic Neuroendocrine Tumors (National Cancer Institute) Also in Spanish
• Tests for Pancreatic Cancer (American Cancer Society) Also in Spanish

Prevention and Risk Factors

• Pancreatic Cancer Risk Factors (American Cancer Society) Also in Spanish

Treatments and Therapies

• Complementary Pancreatitis Therapies (National Pancreas Foundation)
• Drugs Approved for Pancreatic Cancer (National Cancer Institute)
• Gonzalez Regimen (PDQ) (National Cancer Institute)
• Surgery for Pancreatic Cancer (American Cancer Society) Also in Spanish
• Treatment Option Overview (Pancreatic Cancer) (National Cancer Institute) Also in Spanish
• Treatment Option Overview (Pancreatic Neuroendocrine Tumors / Islet Cell Tumors) (National Cancer Institute) Also in Spanish
• Treatment Options by Stage (Pancreatic Cancer) (National Cancer Institute) Also in Spanish
• Treatment Options for Pancreatic Neuroendocrine Tumors (National Cancer Institute) Also in Spanish
• Whipple Procedure (Johns Hopkins University, Department of Pathology)

Living With

• How Are Diet & Exercise Affected? (Johns Hopkins University, Department of Pathology)
• How Is Pain Managed? (Johns Hopkins University, Department of Pathology)
• Living as a Pancreatic Cancer Survivor (American Cancer Society) Also in Spanish
• Nutrition Following Pancreatic Surgery (Pancreatic Cancer Action Network)
• Pancreatic Enzymes (Pancreatic Cancer Action Network)

Related Issues

• What Questions Should I Ask My Doctor? (Johns Hopkins University, Department of Pathology)
• What Should You Ask Your Health Care Team About Pancreatic Cancer? (American Cancer Society) Also in Spanish

Specifics

• General Information about Pancreatic Neuroendocrine Tumors (Islet Cell Tumors) (National Cancer Institute) Also in Spanish
• Pancreatic Exocrine Tumors (Pancreatic Cancer Action Network)
• Pancreatic Neuroendocrine Tumors (PNETs) (Pancreatic Cancer Action Network)
• Zollinger-Ellison Syndrome (National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases)

Genetics

• Is Pancreatic Cancer Hereditary? (Johns Hopkins University, Department of Pathology)
• Juvenile Polyposis Syndrome (American Society of Clinical Oncology)

Images

• Pancreatic Cancer Stage 2A (National Cancer Institute)
• Pancreatic Cancer Stage 2B (National Cancer Institute)
• Pancreatic Cancer Stage 3 (National Cancer Institute)
• Pancreatic Cancer Stage 4 (National Cancer Institute)

Statistics and Research

• Cancer Statistics: Pancreas Cancer (National Cancer Institute)
• What Are the Key Statistics about Pancreatic Cancer? (American Cancer Society) Also in Spanish
• What's New in Pancreatic Cancer Research and Treatment? (American Cancer Society) Also in Spanish

Clinical Trials

• ClinicalTrials.gov: Carcinoma, Islet Cell (National Institutes of Health)
• ClinicalTrials.gov: Pancreatic Neoplasms (National Institutes of Health)

Journal Articles References and abstracts from MEDLINE/PubMed (National Library of Medicine)

• Article: Value of anti-plasminogen binding peptide, anti-carbonic anhydrase II, immunoglobulin G4,...
• Article: A Phase I Study of S-1-based Concurrent Chemoradiotherapy Followed by...
• Article: Case 23-2018: A 36-Year-Old Man with Episodes of Confusion and...
• Pancreatic Cancer -- see more articles

Reference Desk

• Dictionary of Cancer Terms (National Cancer Institute) Also in Spanish
• Normal Pancreas Anatomy (National Cancer Institute)
• What Is the Pancreas? (Johns Hopkins University, Department of Pathology)

Find an Expert

• American Cancer Society
• ASGE: Find a Doctor (American Society for Gastrointestinal Endoscopy)
• Find a Cancer Doctor (American Society of Clinical Oncology)
• National Cancer Institute Also in Spanish
• NCI Designated Cancer Centers (National Cancer Institute) Also in Spanish
• Organizations That Offer Support Services (National Cancer Institute) Also in Spanish

Patient Handouts

• After chemotherapy - discharge (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish
• Amylase - urine (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish
• Pancreatic cancer (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish
• Understanding Chemotherapy (National Cancer Institute) - PDF Also in Spanish
• What to Know about External Beam Radiation Therapy (National Cancer Institute) - PDF Also in Spanish
• Zollinger-Ellison syndrome (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish