Pancreatic cancer affects the pancreas; is a disease in which malignant (cancerous) cells form in the tissues of the pancreas. Of all the glands in the body, the pancreas is one of them. The pancreas is located behind the stomach and in front of the spine. Digestive juices and hormones that regulate sugar in the body are produced by the pancreas. Exocrine pancreas cells are the cells that produce digestive juices, while cells called endocrine pancreas cells produce hormones. Most pancreatic cancers begin in exocrine cells. The fourth leading cause of cancer death in the United States is pancreatic adenocarcinoma. The World Health Organization's Cancer Research Center estimates that approximately 277,000 cases of pancreatic cancer are diagnosed worldwide each year. It has been proven that pancreatic cancer is diagnosed worldwide every year. Pancreatic cancer is the thirteenth most common form of malignancy, and the incidence rate in men is higher than in women. More than 60% of pancreatic cancer cases occur in developing countries. Every year, nearly 266,000 people die from pancreatic cancer worldwide. The ratio between mortality and the highest incidence rate is approximately 0.96%. The highest incidence rate of pancreatic cancer is recorded in Japan, where it reaches approximately 16.9/100,000. Data from the National Cancer Institute shows that only 80% of pancreatic cancer patients are diagnosed as a primary tumor and that the five-year relative survival rate in these patients is 21.5%. Lymph nodes were found to be present in 27% of patients. Worldwide, pancreatic cancer is gradually increasing the number of people along with prolonged life expectancy. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get Original Essay The pancreas is a glandular organ located in the abdomen. The pancreas produces important enzymes and hormones that help break down foods and is part of the digestive system. Because the pancreas releases juices directly into the bloodstream, it has an endocrine function, while because it releases juices into the ducts it has an exocrine function. Enzymes or digestive juices produced by the pancreas are secreted into the small intestine to further break down food after the food leaves the stomach. The hormone insulin is also produced by the pancreas, so it is secreted into the bloodstream to regulate the level of glucose or sugar in the body. The pancreas is an organ approximately 18 to 25 cm long that is located behind the stomach, at the back of the abdomen. It is spongy and shaped like a fish that extends horizontally across the abdomen. The largest part of the pancreas is its head and is located on the right side of the abdomen, where the stomach is attached to the first part of the small intestine. Approximately 95% of the tissues present in the pancreas are exocrine. There are various types of diseases that affect the pancreas. Pancreatitis, inflammation of the pancreas, occurs when enzymes located in the pancreas begin to digest the pancreas itself. Another disease that affects the pancreas is cystic fibrosis. It is a genetic disorder in which the ducts of the pancreas are blocked by thin, sticky mucus. Pancreatic cancer is one of the diseases that affects pancreatic cancer. Pancreatic cancer does not present any symptoms at an early age. Symptoms are seen in later stages, but may be nonspecific, such as lack of appetite and weight loss. The patient may suffer from pain in the abdomen or mid-back. The patient may suffer from fatiguethe whole body. The patient also experiences symptoms such as dark urine, yellow skin and eyes. Pancreatic cancer often goes undetected until it is advanced and difficult to treat. In the vast majority of cases, symptoms develop only after pancreatic cancer has grown and begun to spread. More than 95% of pancreatic cancers are adenocarcinoma. Pancreatic cancer tends to be silent and painful as it grows. By the time it becomes large enough to cause symptoms, pancreatic cancer has generally grown outside the pancreas. Pancreatic cancer that occurs in the head of the pancreas tends to have symptoms such as pale stools (the tube that drains bile into the intestine is blocked by pancreatic cancer; stools may lose their brown color and become pale or gray), itching, swollen lymph nodes in the neck, nausea and vomiting. In the body or tail of the pancreas, pancreatic cancer causes belly and/or back pain and weight loss. Pancreatic cancer grows around important areas of the digestive and gastrointestinal system. More than 80% of people with pancreatic cancer eventually experience abdominal pain. Pancreatic cancer also causes a dull pain in the upper abdomen that radiates to the back. The pain can come and go. People with pancreatic cancer sometimes experience early satiety during meals or uncomfortable bloating in the abdomen. You may also experience high blood sugar levels. Some people with pancreatic cancer develop diabetes, because the cancer impairs the pancreas' ability to produce the hormone called insulin. A study that surveyed 305 people with pancreatic cancer illustrated that approximately 4% reported having a sudden disgust for favorite tests such as (coffee, smoking, or wine) that preceded other symptoms by more than 6 months. It has been found that 50% of people experience loss of appetite, feeling full early during meals, or profound weakness, before six months have passed after developing more noticeable symptoms. Of these people, 1% had acute pancreatitis attacks more than six months before their pancreatic cancer diagnosis. The rarity and constant or worsening discomfort are also disconcerting. Researchers have shown that no one understands the underlying causes of pancreatic cancer, but some risk factors have been identified. There are many pancreatic risk factors. About 1 in 76% of people have a chance of developing pancreatic cancer. 5% to 10% of people who tend to have pancreatic cancer also have a close family member who has it. Several different genes have been associated with increased risks, although no “pancreatic gene” has yet been identified. Having one or more risk factors does not actually mean that the person will get the disease. Sometimes, many people who contract the disease may have few or no risk factors. One of the most important risk factors for pancreatic cancer is smoking. The risk of developing pancreatic cancer is double among smokers compared to those who have never smoked. It is believed that approximately 20-30% of pancreatic cancers are caused by cigarette smoking. The use of smokeless tobacco products, cigars and pipes also increases the risk. One of the risk factors for pancreatic cancer is being overweight. Overweight people are about 20% more likely to develop pancreatic cancer. People who carry extra weight around their waist can pose a risk factor even for people who are not overweight. Heavy exposure to certain workplace chemicals used in the metalworking and dry cleaning industries can alsoincrease the risk of pancreatic cancer. As a person's age increases, the risk of developing pancreatic cancer also increases. All pancreatic cancer patients are over the age of 45. About two-thirds are at least 65 years old. Due to higher tobacco use in men, they are more likely to be affected by pancreatic cancer than women. African Americans are slightly more likely to develop pancreatic cancer than whites. The reason for this is not yet clear, but it may be due in part to higher rates of some other risk factors for pancreatic cancer such as diabetes, being overweight in women, and smoking in men. The inherited gene that can be passed from parent to child can cause up to 10% of pancreatic cancers. Studies have shown that low levels of nutrients such as lycopene and selenium can also develop pancreatic cancer. Cirrhosis is scarring of the liver that develops in people with liver damage due to factors such as excessive alcohol consumption and hepatitis which also increase the risk of pancreatic cancer. The risk also increases in case of stomach infection by the Helicobacter Pylori bacterium. Excess stomach acid could also increase the risk, some researchers have suggested. While it hasn't been proven in all studies, some researchers have suggested that lack of physical activity could increase the risk of pancreatic cancer. Eliminating risk factors for pancreatic cancer does not completely reduce your risk, but eating a healthy diet, maintaining a healthy weight, and exercising frequently can improve your overall health and also reduce your risk of other health problems. Diagnosing pancreatic cancer is more difficult than other digestive system cancers because the pancreas is a retroperitoneal organ. Pancreatic cancer can go unnoticed until it develops and becomes advanced. Diagnosis of pancreatic cancer is usually relatively simple once symptoms appear. Unfortunately, a cure is rarely possible at that point. When someone goes to the doctor after experiencing weeks or months of symptoms, they are usually diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. A doctor learns the history of the disease by taking medical history such as the location of the pain and its nature, time of onset, smoking history and other medical problems. During a physical exam, your doctor may feel a mass in your abdomen and notice swollen lymph nodes in your neck, jaundiced skin, or weight loss. The scanner takes multiple x-rays and a computer reconstructs them into detailed images of the inside of the abdomen. Computed tomography (CT) helps your doctor diagnose pancreatic cancer. Patients may undergo one or more tests to diagnose pancreatic cancer. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), using magnetic waves, the scanner creates detailed images of the abdomen, particularly the areas around the pancreas, liver and gallbladder. Another way to diagnose the disease is to use a telescope to create ultrasound images of the pancreas. An endoscopic ultrasound (EUS) uses an ultrasound device to take images of the pancreas from inside the abdomen. Sometimes positron emission tomography (PET scan) is done to detect pancreatic cancer. It is when radioactive glucose is injected into the veins that it is absorbed by cancer cells. Other tests such as cholangiopancreatography, somatostatin receptor scintigraphy (SRS), angiography (an x-ray that looks at the blood vessels), blood tests for exocrine pancreatic cancer and neuroendocrine tumors of the pancreas, tumor markers and the.