What is the Pancreas:
The pancreas is a small gland in the abdomen that produces enzymes to help the body to digest food and hormones to regulate sugars.
What Does the Pancreas Do?
The pancreas has dual roles - it is an organ of the digestive system and of the endocrine system. The exocrine pancreas produces enzymes that help to digest food, particularly protein. The endocrine pancreas makes the hormone insulin, which helps to control blood sugar levels.
What is Pancreas Cancer?
Pancreatic cancer occurs when malignant cells develop in part of the pancreas. This may affect how the pancreas works, including the functioning of the exocrine or endocrine glands. Pancreatic cancer can occur in any part of the pancreas, but about 70% of pancreatic cancers are in the head of the pancreas.
Exocrine tumors make up more than 95% of pancreatic cancers. The most common type, an adenocarcinoma, starts in the cells lining the pancreatic duct.
About 5% of pancreatic cancers are pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors (NETs). These start in the endocrine cells.
It is estimated that 4,641 people will be diagnosed with pancreatic cancer in 2024. The average age at diagnosis is 72 years old.
Pancreatic cancer is the eighth most diagnosed cancer in Australia, and it is estimated that one in 70 people will be diagnosed by the time they are 85.
Pancreatic Cancer Signs and Symptoms
Early-stage pancreatic cancer rarely causes symptoms. Symptoms often only appear once the cancer is large enough to affect nearby organs or has spread.
Symptoms can include:
- pain in the abdomen
- loss of appetite
- nausea and vomiting
- weight loss
- change in bowel habit including diarrhoea, constipation or the feeling of incomplete emptying
- jaundice (yellowish skin and eyes, and dark urine).
Less common signs include:
- severe back pain
- onset of diabetes (10-20% of people with pancreatic cancer develop diabetes).
The Causes of Pancreatic Cancer
Some factors that can increase your risk of pancreatic cancer include:
- Smoking
- Age - most cases occur in adults over the age of 60
- Diabetes, particularly newly diagnosed diabetes
- A family history of pancreatic, ovarian or colon cancer
- Chronic pancreatitis
- Excessive alcohol consumption
- Obesity
After A Diagnosis of Pancreatic Cancer
After being diagnosed with pancreatic cancer, you may feel shocked, upset, anxious or confused. These are normal responses. A diagnosis of pancreatic cancer affects each person differently. For most it will be a difficult time, however some people manage to continue with their normal daily activities.
You may find it helpful to talk about your treatment options with your doctors, family and friends. Ask questions and seek as much information as you feel you need. It is up to you as to how involved you want to be in making decisions about your treatment.
For more information about the causes, symptoms, diagnosis and treatment of pancreatic cancer visit the Cancer Council website.