Pancreatic cancer

Pancreatic cancer is a malignant tumor of the pancreas. Each year about 33,000 individuals in the United States are diagnosed with this condition, and more than 60,000 in Europe. Depending on the extent of the tumor at the time of diagnosis, the prognosis is generally regarded as poor, with few victims still alive five years after diagnosis, and complete remission still extremely rare.About 95 percent of pancreatic tumors are adenocarcinoma . The remaining 5 percent include other tumors of the exocrine pancreas (e.g., serous cystadenoma), acinar cell cancers, and pancreatic neuroendocrine tumor (such as insulinoma, , ). These tumors have a completely different diagnostic and therapeutic profile, and generally a more favorable prognosis. Early diagnosis of pancreatic cancer is difficult because the symptoms are so non-specific and varied. Common symptoms include pain in the upper abdomen that typically radiates to the back and is relieved by leaning forward (seen in carcinoma of the... full article at wikipedia