Pancreatic Cancer
A disease of the cells of the pancreas organ. There are different types of pancreatic cancer, the most common being pancreatic adenocarcinoma that accounts for about 85% of cases. This type affects the digestive enzymes produced by the pancreas. Risk factors include: smoking tobacco, obesity, diabetes, and some rare genetic conditions. It can spread to neighboring organs such as: liver, duodenum, stomach, colon, spleen, and kidneys.
Pancreatic cancer is treated with surgery, chemotherapy, radiation therapy, a combination of all these, or sometimes supportive care alone. Surgery can be curative, but it can also be used to reduce tumor size and improve quality of life. The stage can vary at diagnosis and throughout treatment. The Tumor, Node, Metastasis (TNM) staging system is used to stage pancreas cancer. Staging systems describe the extent of cancer throughout the body and help doctors determine which treatments to offer. The effectiveness of the treatment may depend upon the stage at diagnosis.