Pancreatic Cancer Dictionary

pancreas: An abdominal gland behind the stomach and connected to the gastrointestinal tract, the pancreas secretes pancreatic juice to aid digestion and insulin, an essential hormone for metabolizing sugars.

pancreatic cancer: Indicated by the growth of a malignant tumor inside the small pancreas. Also known as exocrine cancer. About 32,000 people in the United States are diagnosed annually, making it the fourth leading cause of cancer death in America.

pancreatic pseudocyst: An accumulation of fluid surrounded by scar tissue caused by repeated attacks of pancreatitis. A pseudocyst is not a tumor and usually requires no treatment.

pancreatitis: An inflammation of the pancreas that can cause intense, persistent pain in the upper abdomen.

pancreatoblastoma: A rare, slow-growing tumor that only affects children. It is almost always surgically removable and responds well to radiation and chemotherapy with a high survival rate.

perivascular epitheliod cell tumors (PEComas): The rarest form of pancreatic adenocarcinoma, with an uncertain malignant potential. Also called clear cell or oncocytic carcinoma.

resectable pancreatic cancer: A tumor that can be surgically removed, with a three-year survival rate of 25 to 35 percent. Fifteen percent of pancreas tumors are resectable.

serous cystadenoma: A common form of benign pancreas neoplasms. More prevalent in women than in men, the serous cystadenoma can obstruct digestive bile ducts and are almost always non-cancerous.