Pancreatic Cancer
There are two forms of pancreatic cancer, exocrine pancreatic cancer, which accounts for approximately 95 percent of all cases, and endocrine or pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors, also called islet cell tumors. Pancreatic cancer often has a poor prognosis and is projected to become the second leading cause of cancer death in the United States behind lung cancer by 2030.
The pancreas has two main jobs in the body, making the juices that help with digestion and making hormones such as insulin and glucagon that help control blood sugar levels. Smoking and health history including being overweight, having diabetes, chronic pancreatitis, and certain hereditary conditions are risk factors for pancreatic cancer.
The National Cancer Institute’s Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) Program estimated that there will be 66,440 people diagnosed with pancreatic cancer in the United States and some 51,750 deaths from these cancers in 2024.
The five-year relative survival rate for pancreatic cancer is 12.8 percent.
Pancreatic Cancer Treatment (PDQ®) Pancreatic Neuroendocrine Tumors (Islet Cell Tumors) Treatment (PDQ®)Source: National Cancer Institute
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