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The pancreas plays a major role in the digestive process, essential in producing enzymes to digest food. The other function of the pancreas, which can be described as "control of the fuel," is to produce insulin, which affects people with diabetes. Over 95% of the cells of the pancreas exocrine glands are responsible for producing pancreatic juice, which contains enzymes that break down fats and proteins for food nutrients can be absorbed by the small intestine and used by the agency for tissue repair or to promote growth.

Some conduits called exocrine pancreatic juice to carry the common bile duct and, eventually, to the small intestine. Only a small percentage of cells in the pancreatic endocrine glands are arranged in small groups or clusters called islets of Langerhans. The cells of the islets released three hormones (insulin, glucagon and somatostatin) that enable the body metabolism (breakdown and digest) food. Also regulate the use to which the body makes glucose, which is the energy source for many of the daily activities of all cells.

When the pancreas is functioning normally, the concentration of glucose in the blood varies in response to a wide variety of events, stress or infection, but remains in its normal range.
Causes

Genetic Factor: The changes or mutations that occur in the DNA of individuals indicate that they could be responsible for the cells of the pancreas become cancerous. It is therefore possible that changes in the DNA inherited from one generation to another not only increase the risk to develop this cancer, but even others, as they involve the activation of oncogenes (cancerous) or inactivation of tumor suppressor genes .
Age: The risk of colon cancer increased from 50 years. Most patients are between 60 and 80 years at the time of being diagnosed.
Sex: The likelihood of suffering from this disease is 30 percent higher in men than in women.
Race: The black people are more likely to develop pancreatic cancer that people of Caucasian or Asian.
Snuff
Food: A diet rich in meat and fat increases the risk, while fruit, vegetables and fiber-containing foods appear to have a protective effect.
Pancreatic cancer is more common in people with diabetes.
Chronic pancreatitis or persistent inflammation of the pancreas, is also associated with increased risk of developing cancer in the body, the evidence that some families have a tendency to suffer from chronic pancreatitis, which believes that it can be an inherited genetic mutation . Thus, this risk factor linked to the first, giving the possibility that the gene is responsible is responsible for making a digestive enzyme.
The exposure to certain chemicals (pesticides, dyes and chemicals related to gasoline) are considered risk factors can work to develop this cancer.

Symptoms

• Over 90% of patients generally presented the following symptoms:
• Pain in the upper or middle abdomen
• Jaundice (yellowing of skin)
• Weight loss
• Nausea.

Other symptoms may also appear, as the case are:
• Acute pancreatitis (inflammation of the pancreas)
• Diabetes mellitus
• Weakness
• Diarrhea
• Spasms

Prevention

The best way to prevent pancreatic cancer is to avoid some risk factors like smoking, a diet rich in fats and meat and exposure to certain chemicals (pesticides, dyes and petroleum products). People newly diagnosed with pancreatic cancer tend to react by showing a state of shock and stress. These reactions may hinder the relationship between physician and patient. It is therefore important to use the affected systems (notes written or recorded) to remember the particulars of the doctor and, if necessary, all the questions you want to do. Different ways of tackling the disease may include:

• Having the support of aid groups. It is also advisable for the patient to contact any of the associations devoted to advising and assisting those affected by such diseases.
• Follow a balanced diet can help patients feel better, to have energy to face the treatment and overcome the disease as well as possible.
• Being immersed in a social environment (friends and family) to offer moral support and understanding.

Diagnosis

If you have symptoms, the doctor makes a recognition and ordered tests to see if cancer and determine what should be the treatment. Among the main diagnostic tests are:
• Ultrasound or ultrasound (sound waves are used to detect tumors).
• Computerized tomography (CT): a special type of x-ray with that obtained by computer, an image inside the abdomen.
• Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI), which uses magnetic waves to create an image inside the abdomen, and see if the cancer is only partially blocking the blood flow to an organ was not damaged.
• Endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography. Is the introduction by the throat a flexible tube through the stomach and reaches the small intestine. The doctor can look through the tube and injecting a dye to the area may be more clearly in an x-ray.
• Biopsy: Introduction of a needle into the pancreas to remove some cells. The cells can be observed later in the microscope.
• The percutaneous cholangiography transhepática: thin needle is inserted into the liver through the right side and inject dye into the bile ducts of the liver so they can see the locks on the radiograph.
• Surgery. The doctor makes a cut in the abdomen and observe the pancreas and surrounding tissues to detect the presence of cancer. If there is a cancer and does not appear to have spread to other tissues, the doctor can remove the tumor.

Treatments

Used four kinds of treatment:

1 .- Surgery. Surgery can be used to remove the tumor. The doctor may remove the cancer through one of the following:
• Whipple's operation, during which he removed the head of the pancreas, small intestine and part of some of the tissues surrounding it. Leave a sufficient portion of the pancreas that the body continues to produce digestive juices and insulin.
• Total pancreatectomy, which is extracted through the entire pancreas, part of the small bowel, the stomach, bile duct, gall bladder, spleen and most of the lymph nodes in the region.
• Distal pancreatectomy, which removed the body and tail of the pancreas. If the cancer has spread and can not be removed, the doctor may operate to relieve symptoms.
• Biliary diversion: If the cancer is blocking the small intestine and bile builds up in the gallbladder, the doctor can divert all or part of the small intestine it. During this operation, cut the gallbladder or bile duct and joins the small intestine.
• You can also radiographic procedures to install a catheter to drain the bile that has accumulated in the area. Through this procedure, the doctor may drain the catheter through an outer tube or catheter can move around the area and blocked drain bile into the small intestine. Moreover, if the cancer is blocking the flow of food from the stomach, the stomach can bind directly to the small intestine so that the patient can continue eating normally.

2. Radioterapia. It uses high-energy radiation to eliminate cancer cells and reduce tumors. The radiation may come from a machine (external radiation therapy), or materials that produce radiation (radioisotopes) introduced through thin plastic tubes in the area where the cancer cells (internal radiation).

3. Quimioterapia. Chemotherapy is the use of drugs to eliminate cancer cells. Can be taken orally or administered through a needle into a vein or muscle. Chemotherapy is considered a systemic treatment because the drug enters the bloodstream, travels through the body and also can eliminate cancer cells outside the pancreas.

4. Biological therapy. This type of therapy aims to establish the differences between cancer cells and normal pancreatic tissue, and then try to make the body fight cancer. It uses material produced by the body or made in a laboratory to boost, direct or restore the body's natural defenses against disease. Some biological therapies are also known as treatments for biological response modifiers or immunotherapy.
The treatment for pancreatic cancer depends on the stage of the disease as the age and general health status of the patient. The patient can follow the standard treatment in patients who participated in previous studies was effective, or choose to participate in a clinical trial that are underway, which are designed to find better ways to treat patients with cancer and are based on the latest information.

Other data

Side effects. The side effects of cancer treatment depends on the type and extent of it, the treatment has been followed and the patient's health status.

Side effects of surgery depend on the extent of the operation:
• Pain during the early days, which can be controlled with medication.
• Weakness or fatigue.
• Digestive problems, which were relieved by following a proper diet.

Side effects of radiation depend on the dose and intensity. Among the most common are:
• Weakness and fatigue.
• Hair loss.
• Itching.
• Digestive problems (diarrhea, vomiting ...).

Side effects of chemotherapy depend on the specific drugs that are taken:
• Digestive problems (vomiting, diarrhea ...).
• Bleeding
• Loss of appetite
• Weakness
• Rashes.

Side effects caused by biological therapy vary with the type of treatment received:
• Fever.
• Nausea and vomiting.
• Diarrhea.
• Weakness.
• Loss of appetite.
• Rashes.
• Purple and swelling.