The Pancreas an Important Organ

Pancreas an Important Organ

The pancreas sits behind the stomach, deep within the digestive system. The function and location of the pancreas can make cancer difficult to detect, particularly in the early stages of the disease. And, the symptoms of pancreatic cancer may differ depending on the type of cell affected.

Exocrine pancreatic cancers (occurring in the cells responsible for producing the digestive enzymes) may reduce the body's ability to take up nutrients. Pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors (PET or islet cell tumors) may lead to the over-production of certain hormones, leading to a variety of other endocrine-related syndromes.

The majority of pancreatic cancers develop in the exocrine cells (the cells that produce the enzymes or "digestive juices" that help break down proteins, fats and starches). These enzymes are necessary for digestion.

Pancreatic cancer symptoms

Pancreatic cancer symptoms may not develop until the cancer has reached advanced stages or spread to other parts of the body. Some common symptoms include:

Jaundice (yellowing of the skin and whites of the eyes)

Digestive problems, including abnormal stools, nausea or vomiting

Pain in the upper abdomen which can extend to your back

Loss of appetite

Nausea

Sudden weight loss

Swollen gallbladder (usually found by your doctor during a physical exam)

Blood clots

Diabetes

Pancreatic cancer risk factors

The two functions of the pancreas—making enzymes and hormones—are possible because of two different types of cells: exocrine cells (which produce the digestive enzymes) and endocrine cells (which produce the hormones).

Cancer can develop in either of these cell types, but about 95 percent of pancreatic cancers begin in the exocrine cells. The risk factors, symptoms and treatment of each type of pancreatic tumor may be different because the affected cells behave differently.

GENERAL

Age (close to 90 percent of all pancreatic cancers are found in people age 55 and older)

Gender: For an unknown reason, men are somewhat more likely to develop pancreatic cancer than are women.

Obesity

Diabetes

Chronic pancreatitis

Cirrhosis of the liver

Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) infection

LIFESTYLE

Smoking cigarettes: Almost a third (20-30 percent) of all pancreatic cancers are linked to smoking cigarettes. Carcinogens (cancer-causing chemicals) found in tobacco products may damage the pancreas, and smoking may add to the risks associated with other conditions, like long-term inflammation of the pancreas (chronic pancreatitis). Likewise, the risk of diabetes and obesity may also be greater if an individual smokes.

GENETIC

About 10 percent of pancreatic cancers are thought to be related to genetic factors, meaning an inherited gene mutation is passed on from parents to their children. Although these genetic conditions do not directly cause pancreatic cancer, they may increase your risks for developing the disease.

The following genetic mutations are considered risk factors for pancreatic cancer:

Mutations in the gene BRCA2 (hereditary breast and ovarian cancer syndrome)

Mutations in the gene p16 (familial melanoma)

Mutations in the gene PRSS1 (familial pancreatitis)

Mutations in the gene NF1 (neurofibromatosis, type 1)

Other inherited syndromes that may be linked to pancreatic cancer include:

Lynch Syndrome

Peutz-Jeghers Syndrome (PJS)

Von Hippel-Lindau Syndrome (VHL)

MEN1 (multiple endocrine neoplasia type 1) syndrome: A rare genetic disorder that may be a risk factor for malignant islet cell tumor.

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