Pancreatic Cancer
The pancreas has two main jobs in the body: making juices that help with digestion, and making hormones such as insulin and glucagon that help control blood sugar levels.
Cancer of the pancreas occurs in two forms:
- Exocrine pancreatic cancer forms from cells that produce digestive juices and accounts for approximately 95% of all cases.
- Endocrine pancreatic cancer, also known as pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors or islet cell tumors, occurs in cells that produce hormones.
Pancreatic cancer often has a poor prognosis and is the fourth leading cause of cancer death for men and women combined in the United States.
Smoking and health history, including being overweight or having diabetes, chronic pancreatitis, a family history of pancreatic cancer, and certain hereditary conditions, are risk factors for pancreatic cancer.
The National Cancer Institute’s Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) Program estimates that 66,440 people in the United States will receive a diagnosis of pancreatic cancer in 2024, and 51,750 will die from the disease. The five-year relative survival rate is 12.8%.
Pancreatic Cancer Treatment (PDQ®) Pancreatic Neuroendocrine Tumors (Islet Cell Tumors) Treatment (PDQ®)Source: National Cancer Institute
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