Definition

The pancreas is a gland found in the abdomen behind the stomach. The pancreas secretes juice that breaks down fats and proteins and releases hormones, such as insulin, to control blood sugar levels. Pancreatic cancer is uncontrolled growth of cells of the pancreas. Spreading of cancer from the original site to other areas in the body is known as metastasis. A higher than average number of pancreatic cancer cases occurring in the same family is known as familial pancreatic cancer.

Description

Most pancreatic cancer grows from cells from the exocrine pancreas, the secreting portion of the pancreas. The most common appearance of pancreatic cancer cells is gland-like, which is termed "adenocarcinoma."

In most cases, it is difficult to determine the cause of the pancreatic cancer....