What is cancer of the pancreas?
Cancer of the pancreas develops when healthy cells in the pancreas become abnormal and grow too quickly. The abnormal cells form a mass in the pancreas called a tumor. When a tumor has the ability to spread to other parts of the body, it is called malignant. Another word for a malignant tumor is cancer. The most common malignant tumors of the pancreas, known as adenocarcinoma, come from cells involved in the production of enzymes for digestion. These cells make up the lining of the pancreatic duct, through which digestive and pancreatic juices flow. The most well known types of pancreatic cancer are:
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Adenocarcinoma:
the most common, accounting for 95% of all pancreatic cancers.
Adenocarcinoma involves the cells of the pancreas that secrete
digestive enzymes.