Health encyclopaedia

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Cancer of the pancreas

The pancreas is a large gland, about 15cm (6 in) long, which lies behind the stomach in the upper half of the abdomen. It is made up of a head, body and tail and is shaped like a tadpole or a leaf. Cancer of the pancreas most often occurs in the head of the pancreas, which is the large section on the right-hand side of the body. It less commonly occurs in the body or tail.

The pancreas is part of the digestive system. It produces hormones called insulin and glucagons that enable the body to use sugars and store fats. It also produces pancreatic juice, which is needed to digest food. Most people get cancer in the part of the pancreas that produces digestive juices. It usually starts in the inner lining of the tube (or pancreatic ducts) that the digestive juices (or bile) flow through. This type of cancer is called ductal adenocarcinoma. There are some other, much rarer types of pancreatic cancer.

Cancer of the pancreas affects about 7,000 people in the UK each year. It is very serious and it can be difficult to treat, especially if it is not diagnosed early.

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