While the bulk of this web site is dedicated to the more common
adenocarcinomas of the pancreas, the research team at Johns
Hopkins also extensively studies islet cell tumors (also known
as well-differentiated pancreatic endocrine neoplasms). In
addition, all of the surgeons and all of the oncologists listed
in this web site also treat patients with islet cell tumors /
endocrine neoplasms of the pancreas. These tumors differ from
pancreatic cancer (by that we mean adenocarcinoma of the
pancreas) in three important ways. First, islet cell tumors /
endocrine neoplasms grow much slower than does pancreatic
cancer. As a result, patients with an islet cell tumor /
endocrine neoplasm have a much better prognosis than do patients
with pancreatic cancer. In fact, some patients with small islet
cell tumors / pancreatic endocrine neoplasms are cured if their
tumor is treated early enough. Second, some islet cell tumors /
endocrine neoplasms produce large amounts of specific hormones,
and the release of these hormones c