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Pancreatic cancer |
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The pancreas is a large gland located deep in the abdomen between the stomach and the spine. It has two important roles in the body. The first one is to produce the pancreatic digestive juices and the second one is to produce insulin and other hormones that support the digestive system.
Pancreatic cancer is a disease in which malignant cells form in the tissue of the pancreas. It is sometimes referred to as exocrine cancer. According to UK cancer statistics, pancreatic cancer accounts for 3% of all cancers. It is the 10th most common cancer in the UK, with an average of just over 20 cases diagnosed every day. It is uncommon in people under 40 years of age.
Although the exact causes of most pancreatic cancers are not known, the research has shown that are several factors that increase the likelihood of developing malignant tumours in the pancreatic gland. The risk factors associated with pancreatic cancer are as follows:
There are three types of standard treatment used for pancreatic cancer; these are surgery (the tumour is taken out), radiotherapy (the cancer cells are killed by using radiation) and chemotherapy (the growth of malignant cells is stopped by using certain drugs). Other treatments are being tested in clinical trials. To find out more about pancreatic cancer, click here.
Further general information Your doctors and specialist nurses are in an ideal position to give you relevant information on your disease and treatment as they know your individual circumstances. Cancerbackup has a help line (0808 800 1234) and a prize winning video available in English, Italian, Urdu, Bengali, Gujarati & Hindi explaining Radiotherapy & Chemotherapy. Cancernet.co.uk has over 500 pages describing cancer, its management, practical tips and tool which patients, their carers and their doctors have found helpful during the cancer journey.