Pancreatic Cancer
Often asymptomatic in the beginning, pancreatic cancer is very difficult to diagnose and typically spreads rapidly to other parts of the body.
Cancer occurs when abnormal cells form in the lining of the pancreas, an organ of the endocrine system that is responsible for making enzymes for digestion and for producing certain hormones such as insulin.
Even though only 1 in 76 people develop this disease, it is the fourth deadliest type of cancer and is difficult to cure. No one knows what causes pancreatic cancer, and even the few known risk factors are not fully understood.
Visit your doctor if you have unexplained weight loss, a loss of appetite, abdominal pain that radiates up your back, or a yellow tint to your eyes or skin.
Recently Answered
- Q Why can pancreatic cancer cause diarrhea?
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Diarrhea results when the nutrients in food are not absorbed properly. When this occurs, stool can become loose, watery, oily and foul-smelling. Pancreatic enzymes are responsible for digesting fatty foods. If a tumor blocks the pancreatic duct,... Full Answer
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- Q What is pancreatic cancer?
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Pancreatic cancer is a cancer of the pancreas, a small organ found behind your stomach. In pancreatic cancer, cancer cells form a tumor in the pancreas that interferes with the normal function of the organ and may spread to other parts of the body. The... Full Answer
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- Q What new research is being done for pancreatic cancer?
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About 80 percent of patients diagnosed with pancreas cancer will need novel therapies. At Hopkins, the transfer of research findings to clinical research has resulted in the development of a pancreas cancer vaccine and other promising therapies. These... Full Answer
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- Q Are there different types of pancreatic cancer tumors?
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There are over 40 known, distinct tumors of the pancreas. The two primary types of pancreatic tumors are adenocarcinomas and endocrine (islet cell) tumors. Adenocarcinomas make up more than 90 percent of pancreatic cancers. These tumors originate in the... Full Answer
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- Q At what age do most cases of pancreatic cancer occur?
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Most cases occur between the ages of 60 and 80. In many cases there are no risk factors involved. But many times there are the following risk factors: Cigarette smoking - the leading cause Gender (it is more common in men) African Americans also... Full Answer
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- Q How can I reduce my risk of pancreatic cancer?
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Dr. Mehmet Oz, CardiologyHere are some pancreatic cancer prevention solutions: Reduce Fatty Red Meats and Processed Meats: Those who eat large amounts of red meat, processed meats and also meats cooked at a high temperature are believed to be more prone to pancreatic... Full Answer
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- Q How can eating broccoli reduce my risk of pancreatic cancer?
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Make pancreatic cancer the scariest disease you never got by eating more of this bumpy green veggie: broccoli. Seems that flavonol-rich diets could reduce your risk of pancreatic cancer by up to 23%, according to a recent study. And broccoli's got... Full Answer
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- Q What is stage 4 pancreatic cancer?
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Pancreatic cancer is a cancer of the pancreas, a small organ found behind your stomach. In pancreatic cancer, cancer cells form a tumor in the pancreas, which interferes with the normal function of the organ and may spread to other parts of the body. The... Full Answer
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- Q Can pancreatic cancer be prevented?
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Pancreatic cancer does not have a specific known cause, and therefore, it cannot be effectively prevented. However, you can reduce the risk factors that are in your control. Since smoking is a risk factor, quitting may reduce your risk of pancreatic... Full Answer
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- Q How does stage 2 pancreatic cancer affect the body?
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In pancreatic cancer, cancer cells in the pancreas grow and multiply quickly, which can cause a tumor to grow. In stage 2 pancreatic cancer, a cancerous tumor has begun in the pancreas and has spread beyond the pancreas into other parts of the body,... Full Answer
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