Pancreatic Cancer

The pancreas is a gland that is about six inches in length and is located in the abdomen. The pancreas is surrounded by the stomach, liver, spleen and small intestine, and is shaped somewhat like a small pear. The wide end of the pancreas is referred to as the, 'head,' while the middle portion of it is called the, 'body.' The thin, end section of the pancreas is referred to simply as the, 'tail.' Bending backwards and underneath the head of the pancreas is an uncinate process of the gland.

The pancreas has two essential fuctions; the first is called the exocrine function, which involves production of enzymes that assist in digestion. The pancreas' second function is an endocrine one involving production of two hormones; insulin and glucon. Cells inside the pancreas create and secrete both glucon and insulin into the bloodstream; these hormones work in conjunction with each other to preserve proper levels of sugar in the blood.

If the cells within the pancreas begin to grow out of control, a tumor may develop. In the majority of cases of pancreatic cancer the cells which line the pancreatic duct are the ones that are involved. In these cases, the form of tumor is an exocrine tumor known as an, 'Adenocarcinoma.' There is another, less common form of pancreatic tumor that starts in islet cells in the pancreas; it is known as an, 'endocrine tumor.'

Forms of Exocrine Pancreatic Cancer

Ninety-five percent of all pancreatic cancers are Exocrine tumors; there are many types of Exocrine tumors. The most common type of Exocrine tumor is an Adenocarcinoma.

Acinar Cell Carcinoma

An Acinar Cell Carcinoma is a rare, cancerous tumor that might cause excessive production of pancreatic digestive enzymes.

Adenocarcinoma: An Adenocarcinoma is a form of tumor that accounts for nearly seventy-five percent of all forms of pancreatic cancers. It commonly starts in the cells that line the pancreatic duct. Adenocarcinomas might form glands or a collection of cells which surround an empty space.
    
Adenosquamous Carcinoma: An Adenosquamous Carcinoma is a form of tumor that is similar to an Adenocarcinoma because it creates glads, yet is different because it begins to flatten as it grows, and can imitate other types of cancers, showing squamous differentiation.

Giant Cell Tumor: Giant Cell Tumors are very rare, and not as aggressive as Adenocarcinomas. They have unusually large cells. Still, they do not grow any larger than other forms of pancreatic tumors.

Intraductal Papillary-Mucinous Neoplasm (IPMN): An Intraductal Papillary-Mucinous Neoplasm is a tumor that begins its growth in the pancreatic duct, or possibly from one of the side branches of the duct. The IPMN tumor seems to be somewhat finger-like, projecting into the duct, and can either be diagnosed as benign or malignant.

Mucinous Cystadenocarcinoma: A Mucinous Cystadenocarcinoma is a rare, fluid-filled and cystic tumor that has the potential to develop into cancer over a period of time. It is a spongy tumor and the space inside is filled with a fluid called, 'mucin.' Among tumors, this form has a better prognosis that other forms of pancreatic tumors.

Pancreatoblastoma: Pancreatoblastoma is another rare form of tumor, but is a malignant one.  Pancreatoblastomas are usually found in children under the age of ten, which is why it is many times called the,'pancreatic cancer of infancy.' Fortunately, the prognosis for this form of cancer is better than some other forms of pancreatic cancer.

Serous Cystadenocarcinoma: A Serous Cystadenocarcinoma is also rare. It is a benign, fluid-filled and cystic tumor that is sponge-like in appearance. Even though it can grow to be very large, it is almost always benign.

Solid and Pseudopapilslary Tumors: Solid and Pseudopapilslary Tumors might begin anywhere in the pancreas. The parts of the tumor differ; some parts of solid, other parts have finger-like projections (papillary). Solid and Pseudopapsilslary tumors are found primarily in women in their thirties.

Metastatic Pancreatic Cancer

When a cancer spreads it is called, 'metastasizing.' As pancreatic cancer spreads outside of the pancreas itself, one of the places it spreads to is the lymph nodes which are nearby. These lymph nodes are a part of a more extensive lymph system that consists of ducts and vessels that exist throughout the entire body. These help the body to filter out foreign materials and remove them. With cancer cells in the lymph nodes it is very possible that cancer has spread to other tissues and organs in the body like the lungs or liver. Even though cancer may have spread to other organs in the body, it began in the pancreas, and is still referred to as Pancreatic Cancer and treated as such.

Types of Endocrine Pancreatic Cancer

Five-percent of pancreatic tumors are Endocrine tumors, also called, 'neuroendocrine tumors,' or, 'islet cell tumors.' In the pancreas are islet cells that produce hormones which are responsible for the production of glucon, insulin, and somatostatin. One of the major functions of these hormones is the control of the amount of sugar in the blood stream. Endocrine tumors are often slower to grow than other tumors, and can be either benign or malignant. Endocrine tumor may be either functional, in that they produce hormones; or they may be nonfunction, in that they do not. The tumors that are non-functional are malignant ninety-percent of the time. Below is a description of different types of Endocrine tumors.

Gastrinoma (Zollinger-Ellison Syndrome): A Gastrinoma is commonly associated with abdominal pain, diarrhea, and recurrent ulcers; obtaining a diagnosis is often dependent upon finding elevated gastrin hormone levels, as well as imaging studies. Sometimes a Gastrinoma can be inherited, and when it is a part of a genetic syndrome called, 'Multiple Endocrine Neoplasia Type 1 (MEN1),' there is the potential for multiple tumors which may be located within the head of the pancreas, or within the duodenum. The majority of Gastrinomas are malignant; if they are not they have to potential to become malignant. With improved awareness and screening techniques, diagnosis of tumors while they are still benign is increasing.

Glucagonoma: A Glucogonoma is a form of tumor that is located in the tail and body of the pancreas, and is usually large. Many times it will metastisize. About seventy percent of all Glucagonomas are malignant; this form of pancreatic cancer can also be associated with diabetes, severe skin rashes, confusion and depression.

Insulinoma: An Insulinoma is a common form of islet cell tumor; they are often small and hard to find. Fortunately, they are usually benign, but they tend to cause low blood sugar levels. Forms of tumors such as Multiple Endocrine Neoplasia Type 1 (MEN1), or, 'Wermer Syndrome,' many times present multiple tumors in the parathyroid glands and the pancreas. These tumors may be malignant as well. Symptoms from these tumors include muscle weakness and pain, fatigue, kidney stones, constipation, and bone thinning. People in their thirties and forties are usually the groups of people that experience these tumors.

Nonfunctional Islet Cell Tumor: Nonfunctional Islet Cell Tumors are usually a malignant form of tumor, and do not cause well-defined symptoms like over-production of pancreatic hormones such as insulin.

Somatostatinoma: Somatostatinomas are tumors that may arise in the Ampulla of Vater, but they can also occur anywhere in the pancreas itself. Their ability to become malignant varies, like most pancreatic endocrine tumors, and if they are not removed they have the potential to spread to other areas of the body.

Vasoactive Intestinal Peptide-Releasing Tumor: Vasoactive Intestinal Peptide-Realising Tumors, or, 'VIpoma,' or, 'Verner-Morrison Syndrome,' tumors are usually found in the tail and body of the pancreas. One of the symptoms of a Vasoactive Intestinal Peptide-Releasing tumor is severe diarrhea, as well as the loss of large amounts of potassium, a condition also known as, 'hypokalemia.' Around two-thirds of these tumors are found in women. This syndrome is known by another name; 'Watery Diarrhea,' but is called, 'Hypokalemia Achlorhydria,' (WDHA) Syndrome as well.

Further Information Regarding Pancreatic Cancer

Salirasib Prolongs the Lives of Pancreatic Cancer Patients
Every year, 42,000 Americans are diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. Few live very long, and less than 5% are still alive five years after diagnosis. There's new hope, though, from the lab of Prof. Yoel Kloog, dean of TAU's Faculty of Life Sciences. His drug compound Salirasib has shown positive results against pancreatic cancer and recently passed Phase I/II clinical trials.

Dietary Fat Linked to Pancreatic Cancer
High intake of dietary fats from red meat and dairy products was associated with an increased risk of pancreatic cancer, according to a new study published online June 26 in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute. This study was undertaken because research relating fat intake to pancreatic cancer was inconclusive.

Charred Meat May Increase Risk of Pancreatic Cancer
Meat cooked at high temperatures to the point of burning and charring may increase the risk of pancreatic cancer, according to data presented at the American Association for Cancer Research 100th Annual Meeting 2009.

Treatment Combination Lethal to Pancreatic Cancer Cells
A combination of two targeted therapies packs a powerful punch to kill pancreatic cancer cells in the laboratory, Mayo Clinic cancer researchers report. With further testing of these drugs that are from classes of pharmaceuticals already used in patients, the Mayo research may lead to new treatment opportunities for patients with pancreatic cancer, which is extremely difficult to treat.

Increased Risk of Pancreatitis in Smokers
Smoking appears to be associated with an increased risk of acute and chronic pancreatitis, according to a report in the March 23 issue of Archives of Internal Medicine, one of the JAMA/Archives journals. In addition, the risk of developing the disease may be higher in those who smoke more.

Determining Risk for Pancreatic Cancer
Experimental technique safely differentiates patients with pancreatic cancer, precursor lesions and benign tumors. In the latest clinical trial for a technique to detect pancreatic cancer, researchers found they could differentiate cells that are cancerous from those that are benign, pre-cancerous, or even early stage indicators called mucinous cystic lesions.

Nanoscopic Changes to Pancreatic Cells Reveal Cancer
A team of researchers in Chicago has developed a way to examine cell biopsies and detect never-before-seen signs of early-stage pancreatic cancer, according to a new paper in the Optical Society (OSA) journal Optics Letters. Though the new technique has not yet proven effective in double-blind clinical trials, it may one day help diagnose cancers of the pancreas and, potentially, other organs at their earliest and most treatable stages, before they spread.

Abnormal DNA Repair Genes may Predict Risk of Pancreatic Cancer
Abnormalities in genes that repair mistakes in DNA replication may help identify people who are at high risk of developing pancreatic cancer, a research team from The University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center reports in the Jan. 15 issue of Clinical Cancer Research.

What is Pancreatic Cancer?
Pancreatic cancer is perhaps the deadliest of all types a cancer. Only five out of a hundred people who suffer from pancreatic cancer will survive for more than five years after the cancer has been diagnosed. In this article, we will discuss exactly what pancreatic cancer is, some of the symptoms associated with and how to prevent pancreatic cancer from occurring.

Patrick Swayze Pancreatic Cancer
Patrick Swayze was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer in late January 2008 and has been undergoing chemotherapy and other treatments at the Stanford University Medical Center. The actor's publicist said he is continuing his normal work schedule. According to friends of Swayze's ''Ghost'' co-stars, Whoopi Goldberg and Demi Moore, the two actresses were devastated to learn of the diagnosis.