Pancreatic Cancer

Most of the cells in the pancreas form exocrine glands that produce pancreatic juice, and the small ducts that carry this pancreatic juice to the common bile duct and eventually to the small intestine. A small percentage of the cells in the pancreas are endocrine cells. These cells release two hormones, insulin and glucagon, that are important in controlling the amount of sugar in the blood. The exocrine cells and endocrine cells of the pancreas form completely different types of tumors.

Cancers of the exocrine pancreas are usually adenocarcinomas, meaning that they are formed by glandular cells. About 95 percent of cancers of the pancreas are adenocarcinomas. Less common cancers of the exocrine pancreas include adenosquamous carcinomas, squamous cell carcinomas, and giant cell carcinomas. Treatment of exocrine pancreatic cancers is mostly based on how far it metastasized and not the exact type.

Tumors of the endocrine pancreas are much less common. They are named according to the type of hormone they produce.Tumors that produce insulin are known as insulinomas, and tumors that produce glucagon are called glucagonomas. In some cases, tumors may produce other hormones as well. Most tumors of the endocrine pancreas are benign.

Back to top