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Pancreatic Cancer

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Medical Author:

Francis W. Nugent, MD

Francis W. Nugent, MD

Dr. F.W. Nugent is a medical oncologist specializing in gastrointestinal cancers with a special interest in pancreatic cancer. Dr. Nugent graduated from Middlebury College with a bachelors degree in religion before graduating from Albany Medical College. He presently serves as vice-chairman of medical oncology at the Lahey Clinic in Burlington, Massachusetts.

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Medical Author:

Keith E. Stuart, MD

Keith E. Stuart, MD

Dr. Keith E. Stuart is a medical oncologist specializing in the study and treatment of cancers involving the gastrointestinal tract, with a special interest in tumors involving the liver. He was educated at Harvard University (graduating magna cum laude) and Albert Einstein College of Medicine and did his medical training at the New England Deaconess Hospital.

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Medical Editor:

Jay W. Marks, MD

Jay W. Marks, MD

Jay W. Marks, MD, is a board-certified internist and gastroenterologist. He graduated from Yale University School of Medicine and trained in internal medicine and gastroenterology at UCLA/Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles.

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Pancreatic cancer facts

• Most pancreatic cancers are adenocarcinomas.



• Few patients diagnosed with pancreatic cancer have identifiable risk factors.



• Pancreatic cancer is highly lethal.



• Pancreatic cancer is difficult to diagnose, and the diagnosis is often made late in the disease course. Symptoms include weight loss, back pain, and jaundice.



• The only curable treatment is surgical removal of all cancer.



• Chemotherapy after surgery can lower the chances of the cancer returning.



• Chemotherapy for metastatic pancreatic cancer can extend life and improve the quality of life for people with the disease.



• Patients diagnosed with pancreatic cancer are encouraged to seek out clinical trials to improve pancreatic cancer treatment.



• Many organizations exist to help provide information and support for patients and families fighting pancreatic cancer.

What is the pancreas, and what is the function of the pancreas?

The pancreas is an organ in the abdomen that sits in front of the spine above the level of the belly button. It performs two main functions: first, it makes insulin, a hormone that regulates blood sugar levels, and second: it makes enzymes, which help break down proteins. Enzymes help digestion by chopping proteins into smaller parts so that they can be more easily absorbed by the body and used for energy. Enzymes leave the pancreas via a system of tubes called "ducts" that connect the pancreas to the intestines. The pancreas sits deep in the belly and is in close proximity to many important structures such as the small intestine (the duodenum) and the bile ducts, as well as important blood vessels and nerves.

Pancreas (Pancreatic Cancer)

Cancer that starts in the pancreas is called pancreatic cancer. This picture of the pancreas shows its location in the back of the abdomen, behind the stomach.