Types Of Pancreatic Cancer
There are many types of pancreatic cancer that spring up. Though they differ in their speed of growth and propensity to spread, all pancreatic cancers share some similarities. First, all start as abnormal growths or tumors. These growths appear when the DNA of cells is mutated by carcinogens like tobacco, pesticides, and pollutants. These mutated cells multiply rapidly. They form tumors, which then spread by direct growth and metastasis, which occurs when cells split from the tumor to colonize other areas of the body.
The most common type of pancreatic cancer is the adenocarcinoma. It accounts for over 90 percent of all growths and cancerous tumors on the pancreas. It occurs on the surface layer of the pancreas either on the head, body, or tail of the gland. Many occur on the head, which improves the prognosis because the tumors are usually discovered early due to the growths' symptoms. But if the tumors grow on the body or tail, symptoms only appear when the cancer has reached late stages. Adenocarcinomas are the most deadly type of pancreatic cancer. They are resistant to many treatments and grow rapidly. People diagnosed with this type usually only live 5 to 12 months. And the mortality rate of cases is about 95 to 97 percent.
Another type of pancreatic cancer is the neuroendocrine tumor, also called the endocrine tumor. These tumors are not always cancerous, but most stand a good chance of becoming malignant. Of the types of pancreas neuroendocrine tumors, the chances for malignancy are fairly high: glucagonomas (50-80 percent are malignant), somatostatinomas (70%), VIPomas (40-70%), PPomas (>60%), GNRHomas (60%), gastrinomas (60-90%), ACTHomas (>95%), and insulinomas (<10%).
The functioning tumor type called a glucagonoma secretes the hormone glucagon, hence its name. This tumor type causes high levels of glucagon that produces hyperglycemia, which is high blood sugar. The resulting symptoms are rashes (necrolytic erythema migrans), venous thrombosis, mental disturbances, and anemia result. Mild glucose intolerance is found in 90 percent of people with glucagonomas. Somatostatinomas are functional tumors that secrete the hormone somatostatin. They are very rare, with only forty three or so cases reported. The tumor's presence produces diabetes mellitus, imbalances in hormones made by the pancreas, gallstones, and anemia. The VIPoma, or vasoactive intestinal peptide tumor, is a tumor that produces excessive amounts of the hormone it's named for. Vasoactive intestinal peptide helps control how water transport is handled and transported in the digestive tract. The main symptom is diarrhea. PPomas are named for the secretion of pancreatic polypeptide (PP) hormone. The hormone's role is not understood. Abdominal pain and diarrhea result. GNRHomas encourage the secretion of human growth hormone. This controls growth, and an over secretion causes acromegaly. ACTHoma create adrenocorticotropic hormone, and almost all are cancerous. The hormone stimulates the adrenal cortex to produce cortisol. Cortisol increases blood pressure and blood sugar, and supresses the immune system. Insulinomas are very rare, and less than 10 percent cause cancer. One of the more malignant cancer types is the cystadenoma. But only around half of these growths become malignant. And when they are diagnosed as cancerous, they are more treatable than the other types. All types of pancreatic cancer are on the rise, unfortunately. And sadly, the current treatments do little. Over all, most types of pancreatic cancer are terminal.
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