National Center for Advancing and Translational Sciences Genetic and Rare Diseases Information Center, a program of the National Center for Advancing and Translational Sciences

Pancreatic cancer



Other Names:
Cancer of the pancreas; Pancreatic carcinoma; Pancreas cancer; Cancer of the pancreas; Pancreatic carcinoma; Pancreas cancer; Pancreas carcinoma See More
Categories:

Pancreatic cancer occurs when cells of the pancreas grow abnormally to form a tumor. The pancreas is a gland that normally makes juices that help break down food and produces insulin and other hormones. Pancreatic cancer usually doesn't cause symptoms right away, but can cause yellowing of the skin and eyes, pain in the abdomen and back, weight loss, and fatigue. Some risk factors for developing pancreatic cancer include smoking, long-term diabetes, chronic pancreatitis, and certain hereditary disorders. Because pancreatic cancer is often found late and it spreads quickly, it can be hard to treat. Possible treatments include surgery, radiation, and chemotherapy.[1]
Last updated: 9/17/2013

This table lists symptoms that people with this disease may have. For most diseases, symptoms will vary from person to person. People with the same disease may not have all the symptoms listed. This information comes from a database called the Human Phenotype Ontology (HPO) . The HPO collects information on symptoms that have been described in medical resources. The HPO is updated regularly. Use the HPO ID to access more in-depth information about a symptom.

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Medical Terms Other Names
Learn More:
HPO ID
Percent of people who have these symptoms is not available through HPO
Autosomal dominant inheritance 0000006
Increased level of L-fucose in urine 0410067
Neoplasm of the pancreas
Cancer of the pancreas
Pancreatic tumor
[ more ]
0002894
Somatic mutation 0001428
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Last updated: 7/1/2020

FDA-Approved Treatments

The medication(s) listed below have been approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) as orphan products for treatment of this condition. Learn more orphan products.

  • Paclitaxel protein-bound particles (Brand name: Abraxane) - Manufactured by Abraxis BioScience, LLC
    FDA-approved indication: Treatment of metastatic adenocarcinoma of the pancreas as first-line treatment, in combination with gemcitabine.
    National Library of Medicine Drug Information Portal
    Medline Plus Health Information
  • Liposomal irinotecan (Brand name: Onivyde) - Manufactured by Merrimack Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
    FDA-approved indication: For use in combination with 5-fluorouracil and leucovorin, for the treatment of patients with metastatic adenocarcinoma of the pancreas that has progressed following gemcitabine-based therapy.

If you need medical advice, you can look for doctors or other healthcare professionals who have experience with this disease. You may find these specialists through advocacy organizations, clinical trials, or articles published in medical journals. You may also want to contact a university or tertiary medical center in your area, because these centers tend to see more complex cases and have the latest technology and treatments.

If you can’t find a specialist in your local area, try contacting national or international specialists. They may be able to refer you to someone they know through conferences or research efforts. Some specialists may be willing to consult with you or your local doctors over the phone or by email if you can't travel to them for care.

You can find more tips in our guide, How to Find a Disease Specialist. We also encourage you to explore the rest of this page to find resources that can help you find specialists.

Healthcare Resources


Research helps us better understand diseases and can lead to advances in diagnosis and treatment. This section provides resources to help you learn about medical research and ways to get involved.

Clinical Research Resources

  • ClinicalTrials.gov lists trials that are related to Pancreatic cancer. Click on the link to go to ClinicalTrials.gov to read descriptions of these studies.

    Please note: Studies listed on the ClinicalTrials.gov website are listed for informational purposes only; being listed does not reflect an endorsement by GARD or the NIH. We strongly recommend that you talk with a trusted healthcare provider before choosing to participate in any clinical study.

Patient Registry

  • A registry supports research by collecting of information about patients that share something in common, such as being diagnosed with Pancreatic cancer. The type of data collected can vary from registry to registry and is based on the goals and purpose of that registry. Some registries collect contact information while others collect more detailed medical information. Learn more about registries.

    Registries for Pancreatic cancer:
    Pancreatic Cancer Action Network Patient Registry
     

Support and advocacy groups can help you connect with other patients and families, and they can provide valuable services. Many develop patient-centered information and are the driving force behind research for better treatments and possible cures. They can direct you to research, resources, and services. Many organizations also have experts who serve as medical advisors or provide lists of doctors/clinics. Visit the group’s website or contact them to learn about the services they offer. Inclusion on this list is not an endorsement by GARD.

Organizations Supporting this Disease


Living with a genetic or rare disease can impact the daily lives of patients and families. These resources can help families navigate various aspects of living with a rare disease.

Financial Resources


These resources provide more information about this condition or associated symptoms. The in-depth resources contain medical and scientific language that may be hard to understand. You may want to review these resources with a medical professional.

Where to Start

  • MedlinePlus was designed by the National Library of Medicine to help you research your health questions, and it provides more information about this topic.
  • The Merck Manual provides information on this condition for patients and caregivers. 
  • The National Cancer Institute provides the most current information on cancer for patients, health professionals, and the general public.

In-Depth Information

  • Medscape Reference provides information on this topic. You may need to register to view the medical textbook, but registration is free.
  • The Merck Manual for health care professionals provides information on Pancreatic cancer.
  • The Monarch Initiative brings together data about this condition from humans and other species to help physicians and biomedical researchers. Monarch’s tools are designed to make it easier to compare the signs and symptoms (phenotypes) of different diseases and discover common features. This initiative is a collaboration between several academic institutions across the world and is funded by the National Institutes of Health. Visit the website to explore the biology of this condition.
  • Online Mendelian Inheritance in Man (OMIM) is a catalog of human genes and genetic disorders. Each entry has a summary of related medical articles. It is meant for health care professionals and researchers. OMIM is maintained by Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. 
  • PubMed is a searchable database of medical literature and lists journal articles that discuss Pancreatic cancer. Click on the link to view a sample search on this topic.

Questions sent to GARD may be posted here if the information could be helpful to others. We remove all identifying information when posting a question to protect your privacy. If you do not want your question posted, please let us know. Submit a new question

  • My husband was treated for pancreatic cancer in 2011. He has been doing fine except for the fact that his CA 19-9 is elevated. He has had numerous tests with no explanation as to why the CA 19-9 has been on the rise now for about a year. His other blood tests seem normal. Is it possible he has some rare condition? See answer



  1. Pancreatic Cancer. MedlinePlus. http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/pancreaticcancer.html. Accessed 9/17/2013.