Pancreatic cancer is one of the most challenging forms of an already difficult disease. Despite relatively low incidence levels, it ranks seventh among causes of global cancer deaths in industrialized countries and was the third most common cause of cancer mortality in the United States in 2020.
Because patients seldom experience symptoms until the disease has reached an advanced stage, pancreatic cancer remains challenging to treat successfully. According to Johns Hopkins Medicine, 80 percent of cases aren’t diagnosed until later, difficult-to-treat stages. Thus, despite advancements in detection and management, the five-year survival rate is still only 5 to 10 percent.
What Are the Common Types of Pancreatic Cancer?
There are two categories of pancreatic cancer—those that affect the exocrine cells in the pancreas and those that affect the endocrine cells. Exocrine cells are glands that secrete hormones and other substances through ducts in the body, whereas endocrine cells secrete hormones directly into the bloodstream. The pancreas has both types of cells….