| Â | | | | and without any order. Too much tissue is made, |
| Pancreatic cancer is the fourth most common | | | | and tumors are formed. Tumors can be benign or |
| cancer in men and the fifth most common in | | | | malignant. |
| women in the U.S. It occurs nearly twice as often | | | | Causes of Pancreatic Cancer |
| in men as women, but rarely develops before age | | | | Cancer is caused by uncontrolled growth of |
| 50. It is two to three times more common in | | | | abnormal cells. When these cells grow and form a |
| heavy smokers than in non-smokers. People who | | | | mass it is called a tumour. When pancreatic |
| have chronic pancreatitis are at a higher risk of | | | | cancer cells break away and enter the |
| developing pancreatic cancer. Pancreatic cancer is | | | | bloodstream or lymphatic system they can |
| not contagious. | | | | spread the cancer. The spread of cancer is called |
| Little is known about the causes of pancreatic | | | | metastasis; places where the cancer has spread |
| cancer. Cigarette smoking is the most consistently | | | | are called metastases. The reason for the |
| reported risk factor for the development of the | | | | development of cancer cells in the pancreas is not |
| tumor, with the disease being two to three times | | | | known, but research has shown that people with |
| more common in heavy smokers than in | | | | certain risk factors are more likely to develop |
| non-smokers. There is no convincing evidence | | | | pancreatic cancer than others. |
| linking pancreatic cancer to alcohol abuse, the | | | | For locally advanced pancreatic cancer that cannot |
| presence of gallstones, or coffee consumption. | | | | be surgically removed safely, a combination of |
| Approximately 95 percent of malignant pancreatic | | | | chemotherapy and radiation therapy or |
| tumors arise in the glandular ducts of the organ | | | | chemotherapy alone may be offered. This |
| which normally convey enzymes needed for | | | | treatment remains controversial, and various |
| digestion to the small bowel; such glandular | | | | centers have different recommendations based |
| cancers are known as adenocarcinomas and | | | | on a number of factors such as size of the |
| represent what is generally known as "pancreatic | | | | disease and symptoms. Chemotherapy is the |
| cancer". | | | | cornerstone of treatment of pancreatic cancer |
| In many cases, pancreatic cancer symptoms do | | | | that is locally advanced or metastatic. The |
| not occur until the advanced stages. When | | | | chemotherapy agent most commonly used in this |
| pancreatic cancer symptoms do occur, they are | | | | setting is gemcitabine |
| often ignored because they are so vague and | | | | Medications |
| nonspecific. The first pancreatic cancer symptoms | | | | Gemcitabine (Gemzar): Gemcitabine is given |
| are usually pain in the abdomen and weight loss. | | | | intravenously once a week for 7 weeks (or until |
| Additional pancreatic cancer symptoms to look for | | | | toxicity limits treatment), and then no treatment |
| include jaundice, fatigue, dizziness, weakness, | | | | is given for 1 week. Then, cycles are resumed of |
| diarrhea, chills, and muscle spasms. | | | | gemcitabine once each week for 3 weeks in a |
| Healthy cells that make up the body's tissues | | | | row followed by 1 week off. This drug has direct |
| grow, divide, and replace themselves in an orderly | | | | effects on the cancer cells and is usually given |
| way. This process keeps the body in good repair. | | | | alone for the treatment of metastatic pancreatic |
| Sometimes, however, some cells lose the ability | | | | cancer. |
| to control their growth. They grow too rapidly | | | | |