Science 101: Pancreatic cancer

Pancreatic cancer occurs in the pancreas, an organ tucked behind the stomach that produces digestive juices and hormones, such as insulin to regulate blood sugar.

Ten percent of pancreatic cancers are considered familial or hereditary; most occur randomly or are caused by factors like smoking, obesity and age. The vast majority of cases involve abnormal growth of exocrine cells in the pancreas, which produce enzymes to help digest food. Exocrine cancer is distinctly different from endocrine cancer, which affects pancreatic cells that produce hormones.

Pancreatic cancer is the 11^th most common cancer (approximately 65,000 new cases annually) in the U.S., but among the deadliest, with a relative 5-year survival rate of just under 13%. It is hard to treat, in part because it is very hard to detect, partly due to the pancreas’ hidden location and partly because noticeable symptoms in the early stages of the disease are few or none. Surgery currently offers the best long-term treatment option, but patients diagnosed in later stages (most) are usually not eligible for surgery.

Pancreatic Cancer

Research at Sanford Burnham Prebys

Oct 6, 2023
Copycat nutrient leaves pancreatic tumors starving
Treatment approach tricks tumors with a compound that mimics a critical nutrient.
Oct 6, 2023
Sep 5, 2023
US Department of Defense backs Cosimo Commisso’s pancreatic cancer research
Cosimo Commisso, PhD, has received a grant from the Department of Defense for $1 million to advance the research of…
Sep 5, 2023
Apr 6, 2020
Pancreatic cancer blocked by disrupting cellular pH balance
Study findings highlight the potential of targeting pH balance as therapeutic approach to pancreatic cancer.
Apr 6, 2020
Jun 5, 2020
Preventing pancreatic cancer metastasis by keeping cells “sheltered in place”
The study reveals two druggable targets that hold promise as treatments that stop pancreatic cancer’s spread.
Jun 5, 2020