What is Pancreatic Cancer?
Pancreatic cancer is a cancer that begins in the pancreas. You may be aware that the pancreas is part of the digestive system. It is a gland that makes digestive juices and various hormones, including insulin. Pancreatic Cancer occurs when abnormal cells in the pancreas begin to divide and grow in an uncontrolled way which forms a growth (tumour).
Symptoms of Pancreatic Cancer
People with Pancreatic Cancer may not have symptoms initially or some people may only have one symptom. As the cancer begins to grow it can begin to cause more symptoms.
Symptoms may include:
- Pain in the stomach (abdomen) or sometimes in the back
- Signs of jaundice, including yellowing of the skin and the whites of the eyes or itchy skin
- Unexplained weight loss
Treatment Options
Treatment options for Pancreatic Cancer will be discussed with your consultant and may include surgery, chemotherapy and radiotherapy but will depend on:
- where the cancer is in the pancreas
- whether it has spread
- your general health