Pancreatic cancer

Pancreatic cancer is a cancer that starts in the pancreas. About 9,600 people are diagnosed with cancer of the pancreas in the UK each year.

The pancreas is part of the digestive system. It makes digestive juices and various hormones, including insulin.

Pancreatic cancer types are described according to:

• where they are in the pancreas
• the type of cell they start from

Cancer can occur in any part of the pancreas. But around 6 out of 10 pancreatic cancers (60%) start in the head of the pancreas.

More than 9 out of 10 pancreatic cancers (95%) develop in the exocrine cells that make pancreatic juices.

Meet the Gastrointestinal (GI) team.

Am I at risk?

We do not know what causes pancreatic cancer. But things called risk factors can increase the chance of a person developing it. Having one or more risk factors does not mean you will definitely get pancreatic cancer. And people without any risk factors, may still develop cancer of the pancreas. Risk factors may include:

• Age– risk increases with age. Most people who develop pancreatic cancer are 65 years old or older.
• Smoking– about 3 in 10 pancreatic cancers in the UK may be due to smoking
• Diet– eating lots of red or processed meat may increase the risk of pancreatic cancer
• Alcohol– drinking a lot of alcohol may increase the risk of pancreatic cancer
• Being overweight– some studies have found that being overweight or obese and being physically inactive may increase the risk of pancreatic cancer.
• Previous cancers– pancreatic cancer is slightly more common in people who have had cancer before.
• Family history– 1 in 10 pancreatic cancers may be linked to genes, if someone else in the family has already had pancreatic cancer.

For more information on the risk factors for pancreatic cancer, please follow this link.

Symptoms of pancreatic cancer

Pancreatic cancer may not cause symptoms for a long time and some people may have only one symptom. Symptoms may include;

• Pain or discomfort– often beginning in the upper part of the abdomen
• Jaundice– yellowing of the skin and whites of the eyes
• Weight loss
• Feeling sick

Pancreatic cancer can cause other symptoms, such as:

• losing your appetite
• having indigestion
• feeling bloated after meals
• having diarrhoea or changing bowel habits
• feeling very tired
• being newly diagnosed with diabetes
• getting a blood clot in the leg (deep vein thrombosis or DVT) or the lungs (pulmonary embolus)

For more information on the symptoms of pancreatic cancer, please follow this link.

Patient information

For more information from Macmillan regarding pancreatic cancer, please follow this link.

For more information from Cancer Research UK regarding pancreatic cancer, please follow this link.