Pancreatic carcinoma

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Biliary obstruction - series	Digestive system	Endocrine glands	Pancreas
Pancreatic cancer, CT scan

Pancreatic carcinoma is cancer of the pancreas.

Pancreatic cancer; Cancer - pancreas

Pancreatic cancer is the fourth leading cause of death from cancer in the United States. The disease is slightly more common in men than in women, and risk increases with age.

The cause is unknown, but it is more common in smokers and in obese individuals. Almost a third of cases of pancreatic cancer are due to cigarette smoking. There is controversy as to whether type 2 diabetes is a risk factor for pancreatic cancer. A small number of cases are known to be related to syndromes that are passed down through families.

Review Date: 09/11/2006
Reviewed By: Rita Nanda, M.D., Department of Medicine, Section of Hematology/Oncology, University of Chicago Medical Center, Chicago, IL. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.