Fifth Dimension Site Map Search Contact Us Cancer of the
Pancreas Andrew H. Ko, MD How it spreads What Causes It Staging
and treatment Common signs and symptoms Important questions to
ask your doctor Pancreatic cancer is the fifth leading cause of
cancer-related mortality in the United States, with an estimated
33,370 deaths attributable to this disease in 2007. In fact, the
annual mortality rate almost approximates the annual incidence
rate, which reflects the generally short survival time
associated with pancreatic cancer, most often less than one
year. On a stage for stage basis, cancer of the pancreas is met
with the shortest median survival time out of all cancer types.
The pancreas, an organ situated deep in the abdominal cavity,
serves several critical functions. The exocrine compartment of
the pancreas, comprised of acinar and ductal cells, produces a
number of enzymes that are delivered directly into the small
intestine and aid in the digestion of food. The endocrine
compartment consists of clusters