Pancreas

Pancreatic cancer is one of the cancers listed under upper gastrointestinal cancer.

The Pancreas is within the the abdomen. There are three areas of the pancreas, a large rounded section which is on the right-hand side of the body and is called the head of the pancreas, the middle part which is known as the body of the pancreas and the narrow part on the left-hand side named the tail of the pancreas.

There are a number of possible treatments for upper gastrointestinal cancer, including surgery, radiation therapy and chemotherapy. In some cases, these treatments may be used in combination for greater effect.

Patients from Sussex will be referred to either the Royal London Hospital, London or the Royal Surrey County Hospital, Guildford. Both are agreed pancreatic cancer centres.

Your health care team will discuss with you the options and help you to understand why one particular treatment or combination of treatments may be recommended for your case.

Smoking is a risk factor for pancreatic cancer.

The most common presenting symptom of pancreatic cancer is abdominal pain.

Jaundice is the next most common feature occurring in approximately 50% of cases.

Non-specific symptoms and signs are common in pancreatic cancer, and include nausea and vomiting, weight loss, change in bowel habit and onset of diabetes.