Pancreatic Cancer

Pancreatic cancer is the fourth most common cause of cancer death in the United States. Symptoms are typically vague, making it difficult to diagnose early. Because these cancers are often caught at a late stage, they have been hard to treat in the past.

Today, UCSF Medical Center is using new technology that's resulting in earlier diagnosis of pancreatic cancer as well as earlier diagnosis of benign cysts, lesons and tumors that could lead to cancer if not treated. In addition, we're providing new customized treatments and follow-up care that are saving more lives.

Audio Interview
Hear a Patient Power interview with Dr. Kimberly Kirkwood, surgical director of the UCSF Pancreas Center, who discusses the warning signs of pancreatic cancer and advances for early diagnosis and surgery.

The pancreas is an oblong organ, about six inches long, located in the upper abdomen. It has two major functions:

• The first is to produce digestive enzymes — proteins that help digest food into the small intestine. Cells that perform this function make up the exocrine pancreas.

• The second major function is to produce hormones that are secreted into the blood. These cells make up the endocrine pancreas.

Images courtesy of the National Cancer Institute (NCI)

Endocrine Pancreas

The endocrine pancreas is made up of specialized cells, referred to as islets of Langerhans, that produce hormones. The most important hormone produced is insulin that helps control sugar in the blood. Cancers that begin in islet cells are called islet cell tumors or pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors. These tumors are rare and may produce hormones that cause very low or very high blood sugars or symptoms such as stomach pain and severe diarrhea.

Exocrine Pancreas

The exocrine pancreas is made up of ducts and acini, which are small pockets at the end of the ducts. Cells lining the ducts are the most likely to develop cancer, called ductal adenocarcinomas, the most common type of pancreatic cancer.

These two types of tumors are treated very differently.

At UCSF, we have specialists who conduct research on both types of pancreatic cancers. We have one of the few pancreas cancer research programs in the nation with a team dedicated to learning more about these tumors and developing better treatments.

For help finding a doctor, contact the Physician Referral Service:

Reviewed by health care specialists at UCSF Medical Center.
Last updated June 18, 2009