The pancreas is a small gland located in the abdomen between the stomach and the intestines. It’s mainly made of a type of cell called an exocrine cell, which makes enzymes that help you digest food. A very small portion of the pancreas is made of endocrine cells, which make hormones such as insulin that control blood-sugar levels.
As many as 20 different types of tumors can be found in the pancreas. Most start in the pancreas ducts, small channels that carry digestive enzymes to the intestines. These cancers are often a type of adenocarcinoma that begins in the tissue lining the gland.
Less commonly, pancreatic tumors arise in the islet cells. These pancreatic neuroendocrine (islet cell) tumors are a type of neuroendocrine tumor found in the pancreas.
As a pancreatic tumor grows, it can invade nearby organs, such as the bile duct, intestines, or stomach. It can also move into neighboring blood vessels. Tumor cells can also break away and spread to the lymph nodes, liver, or elsewhere in the abdomen.
Although pancreatic cancer is relatively uncommon, it’s the fourth-leading cause of cancer death in the United States. The number of new cases has also been rising. The disease rarely causes symptoms in its early stages, so it’s usually diagnosed only after it has metastasized (spread) from the pancreas to other parts of the body.