Pancreatic cancer begins in the tissues of pancreas, an organ in the abdomen that lies horizontally behind the lower part of your stomach. Pancreas releases enzymes that aid digestion and hormones that help manage your blood sugar.

Pancreatic cancer typically spreads rapidly to nearby organs. It is seldom detected in its early stages. But for people with pancreatic cysts or a family history of pancreatic cancer, some screening steps might help detect a problem early. One sign of pancreatic cancer is diabetes, especially when it occurs with weight loss, jaundice or pain in the upper abdomen that spreads to the back.

Treatment may include surgery, chemotherapy, radiation therapy or a combination of these.

Signs and symptoms of pancreatic cancer often don’t occur until the disease is advanced. They may include: Pain in the upper abdomen that radiates to your back, loss of appetite or unintended weight loss, depression, new-onset diabetes, blood clots, fatigue, yellowing of skin and the whites of your eyes (jaundice)

It’s not clear what causes pancreatic cancer in most cases. Doctors have identified factors, such as smoking, that increase your risk of developing the disease.

Understanding your pancreas

Your pancreas is about 6 inches (15 centimeters) long and looks something like a pear lying on its side. It releases (secretes) hormones, including insulin, to help your body process sugar in the foods you eat. And it produces digestive juices to help your body digest food.

Factors that may increase your risk of pancreatic cancer include: Chronic inflammation of the pancreas (pancreatitis), diabetes, family history of genetic syndromes that can increase cancer risk, including a BRCA2 gene mutation, Lynch syndrome and familial atypical mole-malignant melanoma (FAMMM) syndrome, family history of pancreatic cancer, smoking, obesity, older age, as most people are diagnosed after age 65.