Pancreatic Cancer

Background of Pancreatic Cancer

The pancreas is a pear-shaped organ found in the abdomen, behind the stomach and surrounded by the small intestine, liver and spleen. It is divided into two sections. One section, the exocrine gland, is responsible for producing the enzymes that aid in the breakdown of proteins and fats in foods. The other portion, the endocrine gland, produces insulin, a hormone that helps balance sugar levels in the blood.

While both parts of the pancreas can develop cancer, the majority of cases are found in the exocrine cells. At times, cells in the pancreas begin to grow abnormally and turn into tumors. While some tumors are benign, most are cancerous. These tumors often disrupt the normal activity of the cells and can also produce enzymes and hormones that can spread and harm other organs and body functions.

While it is a serious disease, pancreatic cancer is rare. In 2007, roughly 37,170 new cases will be diagnosed in the United States. Those diagnosed make up less than one tenth of one percent of the population, but pancreatic cancer is almost uniformly fatal; it is the fourth leading cause of cancer-related death. This year, about 33,370 people nationwide are expected to die from the disease.

The exact cause of pancreatic cancer remains elusive. Many studies have drawn links between the disease and various types of behaviors and genetic groups. Smokers, those over the age of 60, males, and those in certain ethnic groups — specifically African Americans, Native Hawaiians and Ashkenazi Jewish people — are more prone to pancreatic-cancer risk. Diet, environment and family history can also play a role.

Overview of Hutchinson Center Pancreatic Cancer Research

Hutchinson Center pancreatic-cancer researchers are focusing their efforts on early detection and better understanding the disease. Because it begins with such ambiguous symptoms and is so rapidly fatal — median survival is just six months after diagnosis — pancreatic cancer is often caught too late for surgery. A join effort by the Hutchinson Center and Group Health Cooperative is uniquely poised to make progress against pancreatic cancer by being as swift and aggressive as the disease. The PACIFIC ("Pancreatic Cancer Investigation: Finding Causes") study is comprised of almost 1,500 pancreatic-cancer cases and controls from two health-maintenance organizations with infrastructure to support ultra-rapid case identification within 10 days of diagnosis. Led by Dr. Meg Mandelson, of Group Health and the Hutchinson Center, and Dr. John Potter, of the Hutchinson Center, the study's rapid-recruitment methods might allow researchers to finally understand the full spectrum of the disease. Hutchinson Center research is also focused on developing new treatments and diagnostic tests for early detection. Dr. Sunil Hingorani engineered the first mouse model of pancreatic cancer. Because it so closely mimics the course of human disease, the model is helping researchers tease out various aspects of the cancer to determine potential vaccine therapies and treatments. A recent study found that a gene mutation is linked to hereditary pancreatic cancer. Dr. Teri Brentnall, who is an associate professor of medicine at the University of Washington and Hutchinson Center affiliate investigator, led the study. Pancreatic-cancer treatment, including clinical trials of new therapies, is offered at the Seattle Cancer Care Alliance.

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Articles related to Pancreatic Cancer

• Genetic clues to pancreatic-cancer survival
• Newly-discovered gene linked to hereditary pancreatic cancer
• Sunil Hingorani, Pancreatic Cancer Researcher
• Mouse model may translate into effective ways to diagnose and treat humans
• Joint effort between Hutchinson Center and Group Health Cooperative aims to identify risk factors and aid early detection