pancreatic cancer

In the country each year approximately 1,900 people found pancreatic cancer. They are mainly people over 60 years. Pancreatic cancer is about the same for men and women.

The pancreas

The pancreas (pancreas) is elongated in shape and located in the upper abdomen. Like other glands like the lacrimal glands, salivary glands and thyroid gland, the pancreas produces substances needed for everyday functioning.

The pancreas makes enzymes and some hormones, including insulin.

The enzymes necessary to digest food. The hormones affect the metabolism, the digestive process and the functioning of the intestines. They include regulating the amount of sugar in the blood.


The pancreas consists of three parts:

* The head. This is below the liver to the duodenum (first part of the small intestine).
* The body or middle part. This lies behind the stomach.
* The tail. This is close to the spleen.

The transition from the head to the body of the pancreas could be several large and important blood vessels. Under the pancreas, the small intestine.

Because the pancreas is a drainage canal. Through the head of the pancreas that leads from canal into the duodenum. That place is called the papilla of Vater

The pancreas produces enzymes that come through the exhaust duct of the pancreas and the papilla of Vater into the duodenum. Because they help digest food. The pancreas also makes hormones, including insulin. This occurs in cells in small groups to each other: the islets of Langerhans. The hormones are delivered directly into the blood.

Liver, gallbladder and bile ducts

To get an idea which caused the symptoms of pancreatic cancer, it is necessary to know something about the location and function of the liver, gallbladder and bile ducts (collective name for all the drainage of bile ducts).

The liver is a fairly large and sturdy body right abdominal cavity. One of its functions is to create bile. Bile is a substance that plays an important role in the digestion of fats. The gallbladder stores fluid temporarily.

Through the large bile duct and the papilla of Vater, the bile from the liver and gallbladder end up in the duodenum. The large bile duct runs in part by the head of the pancreas.

The pancreas produces enzymes, are also from the papilla of Vater. When the papilla is blocked by a tumor, which may impede the flow of bile and the functioning of the pancreas upset.

Different forms of pancreatic cancer
In the pancreas are different types of cells from which various forms of pancreatic cancer may ontstaan.De most common form of pancreatic cancer is cancer of the drain tubes, also called adenocarcinoma. On this form, this information.

The head of the pancreas is more common tumor than in the rest of the body. Because of the location of the tumor, this one called pancreaskopcarcinoom.

Other tumor types
In and around the head of the pancreas, tumors can arise that are not from the pancreatic tissue. Such a tumor may have arisen for example in the tissue of the papilla of Vater, the duodenum or the lower part of the large bile duct.

The name of these tumors depends on the type of tissue from which the tumor originally arose. Thus one distinguishes a tumor of the papilla of Vater, a small bowel tumor or galwegtumor.
Sometimes tissue research does not indicate what type of tissue from a tumor near the papilla of Vater was born. In that case we speak of a periampullaire tumor.

Wise growth and metastases
The tumor may be through the wall of the pancreas outgrow. Continued growth in adjacent organs, tissues and blood vessels is possible.
As with most cancers can also spread in pancreatic cancer (metastases) may occur.
Around the pancreas is a comprehensive system of lymph nodes, metastases which may arise.
When spread via the blood can result in metastases eg liver, lungs or bones.