The pancreas is an organ located behind the stomach. The pancreas has two different types of glands: exocrine and endocrine.

The exocrine glands produce pancreatic “juice”, which is released into the intestines. This juice contains enzymes that help digest the food we eat. Without these enzymes, some of the food would simply pass through the intestines without being absorbed. The enzymes are released and transported through tiny tubes called ducts. These tiny ducts join together to form larger ducts that lead to the pancreatic duct.

The pancreatic duct joins with the common bile duct (the duct that carries bile from the liver), and releases pancreatic juice into the duodenum (the first part of the small intestine) at the ampulla of Vater. More than 95% of pancreatic cells make up the exocrine glands and ducts.

Exocrine and endocrine cells of the pancreas form tumours of different types. It is very important to distinguish between exocrine and endocrine pancreatic cancer. Each one has different risk factors, as well as different causes, signs and symptoms, and they are diagnosed using different tests, treated differently and have different prognoses.

Pancreatic cancer is usually detected in its advanced stages, because it does not usually cause symptoms until after it has spread to other organs in the body. The most common pancreatic cancer begins in the cells that line the ducts that carry digestive enzymes out of the pancreas (pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma.

The most common symptoms in pancreatic cancer are weight loss, jaundice, back pain and generalized itching.

It is not clear what causes pancreatic cancer. Some of the factors that may increase the risk of pancreatic cancer include smoking and certain inherited genetic mutations.

A diet rich in vegetables and fruits has been shown to be beneficial in the prevention of pancreatic cancer.

Treatment for pancreatic cancer depends on the extent of the cancer. They may include surgery, chemotherapy, radiation therapy or a combination of these.