Pancreatic Cancer
Pancreatic cancer is one of the most devastating and lethal human cancers that continues to be a major unresolved health problem at the start of the 21st century. Below is information about what the pancreas is and does in our body, as well as important information about Pancreatic Cancer.
What is the Pancreas?
The pancreas is a 15-25 cm (6-10 inches) oblong flattened gland located within the abdomen, between the stomach and the spine. It has two main functions - to produce many important hormones, including insulin and glucagon, and to secrete pancreatic juice into the duodenum, which contains enzymes for digesting food so that nutrients can be readily absorbed in the gut.
What is Pancreatic Cancer?
The most common form of pancreatic cancer is an abnormal uncontrolled growth of cells that begins in the lining of the pancreatic duct and spreads into the body of the pancreas.
